Tales of Vaati
by Nairia
Summary: In the world of Twilight Princess, what would happen if Link met the evil sorcerer Vaati without knowing who Vaati is. My summaries suck, not yaoi, find it on my DeviantART account as well.
1. Chapter 1

"Well, well, well, nice to see you again, Vaati."

Chapter 1:  
>An Unwelcoming Reunion<p>

"It's another day, another rupee, and another lie." Vaati thought sorrowfully.  
>He had recently returned to Hyrule two years ago, looking for another chance. Luckily no one remembered what Vaati's Hylian form had looked like, but they remembered his name, so Vaati had to make up a name, his new name was Vale. Vaati had been working at Telma's Bar for a year and a half, he'd seen everything there is to see when you work at a bar, nothing could surprise him, or so he thought until today. Today the bar was empty, not one person was there except Telma. This was very strange, there was always at least one person or guard at the bar, but there were no guards in sights.<br>"I'm going on break, maybe we should close early seeing as no one is here." Vaati tried to reason with Telma, but she was always so stubborn and just replied "No, take the rest of the day off if you want but I'm staying here."  
>Vaati did exactly that. He walked around castle town, but no one was there. The town was empty and the storm clouds weren't making Vaati feel any better. He was in the center of Hyrule Castle town when suddenly a portal formed in the sky and three monsters dropped from it. Ready to fight them, Vaati was in attack position, when a figure in the distance was clapping.<br>"Well, well, well, nice to see you again, Vaati" The figure said.  
>Vaati had recognized that voice…<br>"Ganon?" He replied  
>"You're memories still serve you well, don't they. Not like you ever forgot anything, Bwahahahaha." Ganondorf said laughing continuously.<br>"And you, a seventy thousand year old man, who still seeks to control Hyrule, and you think of yourself as powerful. Tell me, what's it like to be continuously beaten by the hero?" Vaati said with a snicker  
>"Watch your mouth boy! You're in no position to make a mockery of me! Do you not see that I have the upper hand?" Ganondorf barks with rage.<br>"What upper hand? All I see is an old man and three, weak monsters."  
>Vaati's witty remark infuriated Ganondorf, so he summoned more monsters. Now Vaati was starting to sweat. Hyrule was slowly being submerged into darkness, with or without Vaati's help. He saw hylians where already spirits because they were covered in darkness, and when it hit Vaati, to Ganon's surprise, Vaati did not become a spirit. This angered Ganon even more. He had forgotten that Vaati was once a creature of darkness, so it didn't take the effect on him that Ganon wanted. Vaati remained unharmed, for now.<br>"Ha! Did you forget that I was a creature of darkness when I worked for you! I'm immune to your pathetic attempts to turn me into a spirit." Vaati chuckled  
>At that point Ganondorf had blown and ordered all of his minions to capture the mage. Vaati was able to fight off most of them, but Ganon used his magic to strike him down. The combination of magic and monster attacks had weakened Vaati and he fell in a matter of minutes. The last thing Vaati saw before collapsing was the evil grin on Ganon's face.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

"Hurry up, before they catch us!"

Chapter 2  
>The Incarnation:<br>"Ugh…" Vaati groaned as he woke in a small cell.  
>"Where…" Vaati gasped as his vision became clearer. He was in Hyrule Castle's Dungeon. He's recognized it from a month ago, when Telma had him run deliveries, one of which included the dungeon guards. Vaati felt a sharp pain coming from a side of his lips. He felt a small, liquid substance running from the side of his lip.<br>"Blood." He whispered.  
>Suddenly, a noise came from the cell down from his, he looked over, there was a small, red haired, red eyed, imp named Midna, in front of one cell shouting "Hurry up, before they catch us!"<br>Soon enough he heard a box break, and then a gray furred wolf coming from underneath the bars. The red head the jumped on the wolf, as if he was a horse, and they started downward. As they got toward Vaati's cell, Vaati caught Midna's eye.  
>"Link, wait!" she leaned over "See him?" Link nodded "He's not a spirit like the others." Link looked over to see if what Midna was saying was true, it was.<br>Link gave Midna a "what do you want me to do" expression. Midna responded "Well don't just stand there! Free him! He could help us!"  
>Link ignored her and just stood there. A very furious Midna screams "Link!"<br>Vaati's eyes widened, he heard the name Link before, it was the name of the hero who defeated him in the past.  
>"Great" Vaati thought "The hero's back and I'm in prison, is here to laugh at me, or does he even know who I am?"<br>Link pulled the lever and released Vaati. This was all too confusing to him, released by the hero. He probably didn't know who he was, which made it easier for Vaati to gain redemption, clear his name. He has an eternity to capture Hyrule, one chance to help. He got up and walked towards Link and Midna.  
>"Th-Thank you." Was his only response<br>"Don't mention it, now if you excuse us, we need to find a way out of here." Midna replied  
>"W-Wait! I know a way out!" Vaati stuttered.<br>"Then lead the way" Midna grinned.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well don't just stand there, kill them!"

Chapter 3  
>A Meeting With the Princess:<p>

"By the way, what's your name?" Midna asked  
>"Vale." Vaati said quietly as he carefully peeked around the corner to see if there were any bublins.<br>"Oh." Midna whispered "Well I'm Midna and this is Link, say hi Link"  
>"There is no way in subrosia I'm going to be treated like some pet" Link snarled<br>"Yeah, I know who you are. I heard you two screaming down the hall, surprisingly you didn't get caught" Vaati chuckled as they were walking up the stairs. Soon they came to a large gap.  
>"You two go, I'll catch up later." Vaati whispered.<br>Link nodded and began jumping up the stairs. Vaati was left to find his own way up until they left while fighting the monsters. He waited a while after he heard them leave before using his magic to create a cyclone to go up. On his way up, Vaati noticed a bublin with a sword.  
>"Nice sword. I should take it, it would make it easier to fight monsters without magic, champion of the swordsmanship tournament doesn't count for nothing." Vaati thought.<br>He slowly lowered the cyclone, knocked the sword out of the bublins hand and stole it.  
>"My sword!" The bublin screamed, but that little comment was his last as Vaati quickly sliced him in half before proceeding up.<p>

XXXXXXX

Link and Midna had just got done with a long and somewhat confusing chat with the Princess of Hyrule and were up on a roof ledge.  
>"Still, if you took any longer talking to Princess Zelda we could've gotten captured!" Link growled.<br>"Take it easy, remember our agreement. Or did you forget what I can do?" Midna whispered "Now let's go find that purple guy, what's his name?"  
>"You mean Vale." Link said obnoxiously<br>"Well, you don't have to be so rude about…" Suddenly two twilit kargorocs flew up in front of Link.  
>"Well don't just stand there, kill them!" Midna screams<br>Link, very annoyed, attacks one of them, but the other attempts to dive in for attack.  
>"Link, Watch out!" Midna screams. The twilit kargorocs would have almost killed Link if he hadn't gotten his head cut off by…<br>"Vale?" Midna was confused "wait, where'd you get that sword?"  
>"Stole it from a bublin" Vaati grinned "It's amazing what weapons these monsters carry."<br>"Can we just go now?" Link hissed  
>"Can it fuzz ball!" Midna barked<br>"Oh yeah, small fry" Link mocked  
>"Who are you calling small!"Midna screams<br>"Alright!" Vaati screamed "Can we just go please?"  
>"Fine." Midna and Link said obnoxiously<br>"I'll warp you two to back to Link's little village." Midna sighed as a portal opened above and sucked them in.

XXXXXXX

Link and Vaati arrive in the spring, but Link was still in wolf form, they also couldn't find Midna.  
>"Ha, she's gone, finally gone." Link laughed "Looks like the all mighty Midna can't bother me anymore."<br>"I'm right here dumbass!" Midna barked as she popped out from under his shadow.  
>"Why you little…!" Link growled<br>"Link, I think that's enough." Vaati sighed, "You don't want to start something."  
>Link relaxed and Vaati began to speak again,<br>"So what do we do now?"  
>"Well," Midna pondered "if Link wants me to help him return to his hylian self he's going to have to get a sword and shield from the village."<br>"You mean STEAL it?"Link barked  
>"So what," Midna replied "ya borrow a few things, what's so wrong with that?"<br>"Everything!" Link screamed  
>"Look," Midna's voice became stern "if you want me to help you return to your old form then you'll do as I say, GOT IT!"<br>"Fine" Link sighed.  
>Midna hides back in Link's shadow, Vaati stayed at the spring, pondering<br>"If Midna is Link's shadow now, then where's Dark Link…"


	4. Chapter 4

"Why not kill him and take back Hyrule castle for yourself"

' '-is any divine guardian spirit.

Chapter 4  
>Nightmares:<br>"AH! WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING ME?" Link screams as the owl dives in again and again. Link ran far enough away from the owl, so it stopped attacking him. Midna popped up from under his shadow again.  
>"Hey, you wanna really scare that guy?"<br>Link shook his head "NO, he's my friend!"  
>"So what," Midna sneered "You need to get to the window a few jumps after him, just think of it as a favor."<br>"I don't like it, but if I want a shield so I guess I have no choice." Link sighed.  
>"That's better, now get a move on!" Midna chuckled<p>

XXXXXXX

"Huh," Vaati heard a noise, it was Link, "Hey, so you got the sword and shield"  
>"Ya, I did, painfully!" Link barked "By the way, thanks for the help Midna!"<br>"Hey, I can't do much in your world, I'm just a shadow." Midna replied  
>"Whatever, I got the sword and shield so change me back!" Link barks<br>"Well…" Midna hesitated "Ya see, the thing is, I can't change you back, but Faron can."  
>"I go through all that and you CAN'T CHANGE ME BACK!" Link screams, Vaati and Midna take a step back.<br>"Look, ya wanna become a hylian again," Midna smirked "then you'll do as I say."  
>"Then I guess we go back into the darkness?" Vaati tried not to laugh.<br>"Yup." Midna chuckled "That's where Faron is."

XXXXXXX

"Damn this tear crap!" Link screams as he runs from the giant bug "Why the hell did they say 'O' Hero, to free the land from the darkness you must collect eight Tears of Light' why not eight tears from the guy next to me!" He was headed towards Vaati  
>"Hey…" Link rushed past him, the bug chasing after him<br>"Damn, do I have to do everything?" Vaati moaned as he slices the bug in half, collecting the final tear "And that's how you get rid of an infestation."  
>Vaati, Link and Midna were warped to the spring, the darkness ceased, Link was hylian once more.<br>'O' Hero, you have freed the land of this curse, now you must clear the Forest Temple of the monster that poisons it.'  
>"Fine" Link moaned "He gets to come to, right?" Link pointed to Vaati<br>"Ya, Vale's saved his ass more than enough times." Midna boasted  
>"Hey…" Link remembered that it best he shut up so Vale could come.<br>'It is only reasonable that he come.'  
>"Sweet." Link said with a smile.<p>

XXXXXXX

It was getting dark out, Link and Vaati set up camp near the shop by the temple. Vaati was tossing and turning.  
>"Ugh…" Vaati shook his head, "Where am I?" he was cold, dark, nothingness, just like when he was trapped in the Four Sword<br>"Muhahahaha," A voice chuckle  
>"What do you want?" Vaati barked, trying to appear intimidating, a shadowy figure appeared.<br>"To help you." It said "All you ever wanted, all you've ever needed, was to capture Hyrule, now the hero has dropped his guard."  
>"Where are you going with this?" Vaati was a bit puzzled<br>"Now," The shadow grinned "why not kill him and take back Hyrule castle for yourself"  
>"No" Vaati denied "I won't kill him, now I have a chance to make up for all the wrong I did! You can never make me!"<br>"If you won't join me," the voice sounded frightening "Then you will SHARE HIS FATE!" The shadow almost killed Vaati when "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Vaati screamed as he woke up. He woke Link too.  
>"What's wrong, what happened?" Link was still in shock, Vaati realized it was only a dream, a scary one, but still.<br>"Oh, I, uh, thought I saw… never mind." Vaati lied  
>"You're probably just tired, it's still dark, and I'm tired, might as well get some rest." Link said as he sunk back down into his pillow.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

"Argh… get… off… me!"

Chapter 5:  
>Twilit Parasite Diababa:<br>"Ugh…" Link moans  
>"WILL YA WAKE UP ALREADY?" Vaati barks<br>"Ah!" Link screams in shock "Who… What… Where," Link looks at Vaati "Geez Vale! I was sleeping!"  
>"And I was getting ready!" Vaati snaps back "We don't have all year!"<br>"Fine," Link grumbled "I'll get ready too and we can go to the temple."  
>"Hold on." Vaati stopped Link<br>"What!" Link barks "What is it!"  
>"You do have red potion right?" Vaati asks<br>"Ya, why?" Link was puzzled  
>"It's never a bad idea to enter a place like the forest temple with a way of healing injuries." Vaati responds gleefully<p>

XXXXXXX

Link and Vaati rush into the next room to find a baboon with a boomerang.  
>"C'mon monkey, give the boomerang over here" Link tried to reason, but the baboon threw the boomerang at Link, hitting him, and began to jump around. Vaati notices that the pillars were unstable, and began to run into them.<br>"Midna," Link was shaky "I think Vale's gone crazy."  
>But soon enough the monkey fell and Vaati started swiping his sword, the monkey jumped, went a little crazy, and back on one of the pillars<br>"Link, Get the Monkey!" Vaati screams "You can knock him down by running into the pillar that he's standing on!"  
>Link and Vaati kept repeating the same thing about three times and then the monkey became unconscious, but on the floor was the boomerang. "This seems familiar" Vaati though as he grabbed the item, then he got it.<br>"Link" Vaati Called  
>"What?" Link walks over to see what Vaati was doing<br>"Do you know what this is?" Link shakes his head "Link, this is the Gale Boomerang."  
>Link was partly confused on what that meant.<br>"So what does this 'Gale Boomerang' do exactly?"Link asks rudely  
>"It's a boomerang that can create a small twister when you toss it." Vaati explained, narrowing his eyes at Link due to his comment, but then thought of a demonstration "Like this."<br>Vaati just gave it a quick throw and Link watched as the boomerang did exactly what Vaati said it would do before it flew back into Vaati's hands.  
>"And how, exactly, did you know all that." Link asks suspiciously<br>"I did my research." Vaati exclaims  
>"Well that's so great." Link says obnoxiously<br>Vaati continues to narrow his eyes and the smacks him on the head with the boomerang before they begin walk out  
>"Ow! What was that for?" Link asks in shock<br>"Just keep going." Vaati moans  
>Suddenly they hear a noise behind them, the monkey had regained consciousness and was very frightened, and due to the fear, he jumps out a window of vines to escape.<br>"Well that was weird" Vaati says as he returns to walking out the door.

XXXXXXX

Link and Vaati entered the boss room, but there was nothing there but poison water, when suddenly, two giant deku babas shoot out of the water. Vaati notices that in the room, there is bomb flower.  
>"Link, hand me the Gale boomerang." Vaati says<br>"Sure, what for" Link asks, somewhat puzzled  
>"Just trust me" Vaati says as Link hands him the boomerang, Vaati aims for the bomb flower, and the deku baba, releases it, and the first deku baba eats the bomb, and falls.<br>"Vale, you're a genius!" Link screams. The giant deku babas really creep him out.  
>"Give the Gale boomerang to me, I want to try!" Link screams.<br>Vaati tosses the Gale Boomerang over to Link. As soon as he got it, Link got in position, but he froze when the Deku Baba was headed straight for him, mouth open, fangs drooling. Vaati noticed this and quickly ran to push Link out of the way, but Vaati's leg got caught by the Deku Baba's teeth, and he was swung around.  
>"Argh… get… off… me!" Vaati screams as he swipes his sword at the giant beast. He was quickly thrown against the wall. The giant deku baba went insane when it was slashed, though it did bite Vaati extremely hard, and when he attempted to stand up, he found,<br>"OW, My leg!" Blood was dripping from his leg, it was no use standing, his leg was in terrible condition.  
>Link swung the boomerang around the bomb, and towards the last Giant Deku Baba. It was the same as the first one, eat the bomb and die.<br>"I-Is it over?" Link hesitated  
>"No, I don't think so, the water's still poison." Vaati responded, gripping his right leg "Link, hand me the red potion."<br>"B-But I don't think it will completely heal the wound…" Link hesitated a bit, "In fact, I think it'll barely heal any part of it, it's too deep."  
>"I already it won't heal the wound," Vaati said with certain "but it might take care of any poison that might have been caused by the bite."<br>With a sigh, Link hands Vaati the bottle containing red potion and wait's until after he was finished drinking to ask, "Are you sure it's not over?"  
>"Positive." Vaati replies wiping his mouth.<br>"But, there's no one left to fight." But Link was sadly mistaken. The water began to bubble again and up popped the Twilit Parasite Diababa.  
>"Great! How do I face this guy?" Link screams "There aren't any bombs left! This thing knocked down all the bomb flowers!"<br>"Just continue to dodge its attacks, I'll think of something!" Vaati screams, trying to put pressure on the wound, though the blood already covered his hand. The new plan was not working so well because after dodging about a dozen times Link was getting tired.  
>"This isn't going to work for very much longer!" Link screams<br>"Well, we don't have much of a choice!" Vaati screams back. Then suddenly the monkey that Vaati and Link had beaten to get the Gale Boomerang appears on one side of what looks like a mining shaft, swoops over to the other side on a vine, and swings back carrying a bomb using his feet.  
>"Link! Boomerang!" Vaati screams, trying to reduce his blood loss. He positioned the boomerang in the right angle and waited for just the right time and quickly swung the boomerang that, then, got the bomb and dropped it on the Parasites face. Vaati quickly throws the boomerang to Link and tells him to do the same before having to put both hands on the wound to cover it. Obedient Link did exactly as told, positioned the boomerang in the right angle and waited for just the right time and quickly swung the boomerang, and repeatedly, until the Parasite fell. The water returned to normal, and the fused shadow appeared in Link's hands.<br>"Well, we got what I wanted." Midna says as she pops up "Grab purple boy over there and let's go."  
>Link helped Vaati walk to the portal Midna created, but Vaati kept screaming and cussing from the pain (Link would too if one of his wounds was that bad) but they managed to make it to the portal leading to Faron's spring.<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you ready to go back?"

Chapter 6  
>Into the Twilight:<p>

"OW!" Vaati screams as he tries to gently drop his bloodied, bitten leg in the spring water. They had teleported back not too long ago, though it was getting late.  
>"Why did they have to go for my leg? Why not go for one of my arms?" Vaati screams "I could use the other one no problem!"<br>"I'm sorry." Link said  
>"It's not you!" Vaati barked "It's whoever decided to put gigantic man eating plants in the forest temple!"<br>'O Hero,' Faron interrupted 'May I speak with your friend, privately, to discuss his condition?'  
>"Sure," Link was a little uncertain, but decided to leave anyway. He needed rest.<br>"So why did you really want to speak with me?" Vaati asked suspiciously.  
>'Well," Faron continued 'I needed to warn you, Vaati the Wind Mage.'<br>Vaati's eyes widen to hearing someone or something have knowledge to who he is. Did all spirits know this, Vaati must find out more.  
>"H-How," Vaati was scared "How did you know I was…"<br>'I'm a Guardian spirit, do you not think that I would know if you came here?'  
>"I was hoping you wouldn't" Vaati replied<br>Faron chuckled a bit before responding.  
>'Well, what I was to tell you about,' Faron became very serious 'is an event in the future that could lead to your demise.'<br>"What do you mean? When!" Vaati began to hesitate, Faron remained silent. Vaati tried again "What do you mean…"  
>'I must speak of it no more.' Were his last words before Link walked in to hear what he must do.<p>

XXXXXXX

"Are you ready to go back?" Midna asks Link, Link nods  
>"Yes" Link responded<br>"Okay," Midna sighed "Kale, you're coming with me."  
>"It's Vale actually," Vaati responded<br>"So what, just go" Midna snarled  
>Vaati and Midna walk into the wall of twilight and Midna pulls Link in, though Link does not change.<br>Vaati begins to say "Wait, isn't Link supposed to be a…" Suddenly, Link transformed into the form he had met Vaati in, wolf.  
>"Look at the clouds today, they're just stunning." Midna laughs<br>Vaati remembered the darkened clouds when he had conquered Hyrule Castle centuries ago…

"GO FORTH MY MINIONS! DESTROY ANY RESISTANCES! CRUSH EVERY ONE OF THEM! HYRULE IS OURS FOR THE TAKING! WE ATTACK, TODAY!"

Vaati can remember himself screaming, he hated the past. He'd hope to never see the day that Hyrule was submerged back into this blackened state. He remained staring blankly at the dark sky.  
>"Hey Vale," Midna asks "Are you feeling alright?"<br>"Huh," Vaati's attention shifted "I- I'm fine."  
>"Bu…" Midna tried to say before getting cut off by Link<br>"They guy's fine," Link hissed "Let's just get on with it."  
>"But…" Midna was cut off again<br>"Midna, I'm fine, honest." Vaati lied  
>"Well," Midna sighed "Fine…" Midna noticed that Link wasn't moving "GET A MOVE ON YOU LAZY WOLF!" She barked<br>"Ow! Fine!" Link howled  
>Vaati, Link, and Midna began walking towards the gorge.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

"Just a little closer…"

Chapter 7  
>Kakariko Village:<p>

While walking, Link saw something plunged into the ground, he sniffed it to try and tell what it was.  
>He remembered…<p>

"Hey Link," Talo sneered, "If ya wanna pass through, you have to give me your sword."  
>"Fine," Link sighed, "Take the sword"<p>

The other children! He'd picked up their scent.  
>"What is it boy?" Midna teased<br>"One, I'm not your pet! And two, I found the childrens scent." Link Barked  
>"See, now isn't being a wolf more convenient?" Midna laughed<br>"I'd prefer to be Hylian, thank you very much." Link snarled  
>"Stop whining and just go find the little brats." Midna demanded<br>Vaati was still sidetracked by the sky, continuously remembering what he did in the past, luckily, Midna would say, "Hey, Vale, you sure you're okay?" which would always get him back on track, but Midna was getting suspicious of who this 'Vale' was. Seizing her clue less that Vale was once, and still may be one of Hyrule's most dangerous, deadly, and feared criminals… Vaati  
>"Vale, would ya stop staring at the sky so we can find the village children quicker!" Link snaps, "We all know it's dark and dreadful but…"<br>"Hey!" Midna interrupted, "I think the sky looks lovely!"  
>"Um…" Vaati was hesitant, "I think I'm done staring at the sky, can we go before you two kill each other?"<br>"Fine" they both growled and continued on.

XXXXXXX

Midna, Link, and Vaati enter Kakariko Village, unfortunately they encounter some 'old friends' by the spring, like back at Ordon.  
>"Oh great, they're here." Link moaned<br>"Will you just shut up and kill them already!" Midna barked.  
>Link does as Midna says and begins walking up to them, the walls form around them, but to Link ,this was easy, all he needs to do is growl and Midna will use her magic. It was true. It only took five minutes before they're down. Link begins sniffing again.<br>"That way" He says and begins walking down, but turns around, in Vaati's direction.  
>"I'll guard the outside, in case any monsters come back." Vaati assures him<br>'Wait young hero' Eldin stops Link ' You must also free this land from the darkness, so you will need this' Eldin gives Link a Vessel of Light 'Find the insects of darkness, but beware as the darkness now hunts you' Were his last words before Link had to leave.  
>It was a little after Link had left, Vaati was guarding the outside, then, as if out of nowhere, Three twilit kargorocs dart towards Vaati.<br>"Great," He moans as he uses the wind to elevate him for a jump attack that cuts one of them in half but, right as he was close to its tail, the monster used to tail to whack his sword away.  
>"Gah…" Vaati groans as he looks back at the sword, and where it landed. Then, he was getting close to the other kargorocs.<br>"Alright, if that's how you want to play, so be it, time for plan B." Vaati mutters as he tries to think of a plan B, and fast. He got it. He used the wind to keep himself at a steady height, so he's facing the kargoroc.  
>"Come on…" Vaati says under his breath "Just a little closer…"<br>Vaati jumps onto the back of the kargoroc and grabs it by the top of the head, in attempt to steer it towards the other and succeeds, but now both kargorocs were gone. The only way Vaati could keep from death is if he uses a cyclone before he hits the ground, in which only lasts for about five minutes and the begins to cease at about four feet up, dropping him, and further injuring the leg that was still damaged from the forest temple, but still, he hobbled to where the sign by the hill was (also where his sword landed) and continued to wait. Surprisingly, Right after sitting down, Link left the small hut.  
>"So, where to next?" Vaati asked<br>"Around here some and then up Death Mountain." Link said rudely  
>"Um…" Vaati was a bit hesitant, "Are you alright."<br>"Just great." Link hissed  
>"Is he going to be okay?" Vaati asked Midna<br>"In a few hours," Midna responded, "He's just upset because he saw the children, but they didn't even notice him."  
>"Ah" It made sense<br>"So Vale," Midna was curious, "Did anything interesting happen while guarding?"  
>"Nope." Vaati lied with a smirk as they continued on.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

"So, who's your friend?"  
> / means thoughts

Chapter 8  
>The Reunion:<br>The silence continues as the three travel down Death Mountain. Even though he is still upset about Midna's comment in the sanctuary he couldn't help but notice the Vale was more troubled about the darkness that blanketed Hyrule than most people. /What's he hiding, or more so, who is he/ Link began to question. Midna thought the same, she knew very little of Vale and that was the most troublesome part of journeying with him, even if he saved Link on numerous occasions, she still didn't know why he was helping them and asking him might be the only way to get the answers.  
>"So, Vale," Midna asked "Why are you…"<br>Midna was a little too late to finish her question before Link's tail began to wag as he shouts bug, and attacks the invisible pile of sparks.  
>"Whoa! Slow down you stupid mutt!" Midna screams<br>"Wait, Midna," Vaati began to ask "Why am I what?"  
>"Well, uh…" Midna didn't know what to say "Um, nothing."<br>"Hey!" Link yells "I got the last tear!"  
>Suddenly as he adds it to the vessel of light they are teleported to the spring and the twilight disappears.<br>"Well that took a while," Link snarled  
>"Well maybe if you didn't forget the bug on Death Mountain Trail, we would've been able to save the village a lot more quickly!" Midna hissed back "Whatever just get me that fused shadow."<br>Just as Midna disappeared into the middle of the spring, Eldin appeared.  
>'My name is Eldin'<br>'I am one of the light spirits in Hyrule.' Link and Vaati remained silent 'I am the spirit that guards these lands'  
>'O Hero chosen by the gods'<br>'The dark power you and your friend seek lies in the sacred grounds of the proud mountain dwellers'  
>'You must go to those grounds and cleanse them' Were Eldin's last words before disappearing.<br>"So all we have to do is walk up the mountain, enter the temple, and get the fused shadow, sounds easy enough." Vaati laughed sarcastically before they began to walk away from the spring.  
>"Oh come on, it can't be that hard."Link replied when he noticed Colin and the other children from Ordon in the doorway of the sanctuary.<br>"Link?" Colin said as he and the other children began to run towards Link, though Talo pushed him out of the way and the other three children run towards Link.  
>"See Beth, I told you he'd come." Talo said as Colin looked up and Link gave him an inviting look so that he'd join.<br>"So who's your friend?" Beth asks  
>"Oh… this is Vale. He's helping me." He said as the children stared at Vaati, who was waving hello.<br>"It is nice to meet you both. I am Renado and this…" The man next to him smiles but Renado turns towards the girl, "is my daughter Luda" The man next to Renado begins to whine and walks away.  
>"Mr. Renado found us after the Dark Beasts took us." Colin spoke<br>"I couldn't believe the can from such a distant place." Renado added  
>"Yeah… I don't remember much except for suddenly everyone was being captured, until now it's felt…" Malo interrupted Colin "like a nightmare"<br>"It seems like nightmares are everywhere these days," Renado spoke "It seems that this village has seen its share of recent hardships," He continues as Vaati begins to become bored, "Worse than the Dark Beasts was the inexplicable change in the Goron tribe. After being our friends for so long they suddenly treated us as foes." Link elbows a Vaati who is beginning to fall asleep, "It makes me wonder if it has something to do with the mines." /Ugh, will this guy ever shut up, we're going to the mines anyways! No need to remind us over, and over, and over again/ Vaati thought when suddenly the children looked at him and Link.  
>"Link, why are children staring at us… they can't read minds can they?" Vaati whispers<br>"No… WAIT! What were you thinking?" Link jolts  
>"Oh… uh… Heh, nothing." Vaati hesitates, "Well, let's go to Death mountain crater, where it rains fire, the volcano is unstable, and the people are made of rocks, sounds like such fun." Vaati continues with the sarcasm "Now let's go."<br>"But I have to get the children back to the village before nightfall." Link whines  
>Annoyed with Links stupidity, Vaati angrily grabs him by his collar and begins to drag him towards death mountain trail, as Link gasps for air.<br>"You by far, are the dumbest hero I have ever encountered, out of all of your incarnations you have got the least brains cells and…" Link and Vaati freeze after hearing some of the comments in that little outburst.  
>"Hero incarnation what now?" Link gets up<br>"Forget it, now come on, we don't have all day!" Vaati replies  
>"But the children..." Link complains<br>"FORGET THE STUPID KIDS IT'S NOT LIKE YOU HAVE ANOTHER METHODE OF GETTING THERE OUTSIDE OF WALKING! IT TOOK DIN KNOWS HOW LONG TO GET HERE AND I DOUBT THAT YOU CAN GET THEM HOME WITH IN A DAY LET ALONE BEFORE NIGHT FALL YOU STUPID MORON!" Vaati erupts  
>"Uh…" Link stands frozen "you're tired aren't you"<br>"GAH!" Vaati screams /DUMBASS OPTMISTIC HERO! SON OF A FUCKING BIGGORON! THE STUPID FREAKING HERO WANTS TO DELAY SAVING HYRULE FOR BRATTY CHILDREN! STUPID FUCKING BA…/

A few minutes later …  
>(Vaati: I WASN'T FINISHED<br>Me: Quiet you, I'm trying to write a story!)  
>[Back to the story]<p>

"Well, we finally made it to Death Mountain Trail," Vaati said "Now all we need to do is figure out a way to get to Death Mountain."  
>"Easy," Link mocked "There's a net, you climb the net, you walk a bit and taadaa Death Mountain."<br>"Ugh, I know the route," Vaati snarled, "but with the mines off limits I'm sure that no humans are allowed in."  
>"Fine then, I'll just show you," Link laughed as he began to climb<br>"Go ahead, but I told you so" Vaati smiles

Seconds later…

"AHHHHHH!" Link screams as he gets knocked off of the ledge  
>"Sooooooo easy huh." Vaati laughed<br>"YOU think this is funny." Link growls  
>"HA HA NO puny humans allowed and…" the Goron stopped as he saw Vaati<br>"HEY VALE!" the Goron waves  
>"HEY SHILL!" Vaati waves back<br>"You know this guy?" Link asks Vaati  
>"Yeah, so." Vaati snaps<br>"Sorry Vale, but no humans allowed." The Goron apologized  
>"Yeah I get it." Vaati replied, "C'mon Link, we're going to have to find a new way to get up the mountain."<br>"Fine." Link whines as the walk back towards the village to find Renado at the entrance to Death Mountain Trail.  
>"I have a friend in Ordon who might be able to help you." Renado said<br>"Thanks Renado." Link said as Renado began to walk away  
>"Great so now we have to walk all the way back to your little village." Vaati complained<br>"What's the big deal?" Link asks  
>"One," Vaati points out reasons "We don't have any way to get there other than on foot, Two my leg still hasn't completely healed, as in it still hurts, and Three, if I have to hear anymore of your dreadful singing I think I might just go insane!"<br>"Aw, you're no fun…"Link said when suddenly Epona charged into the village and nearly ran over Link and Vaati and Link hops on to try and control her.  
>"LINK! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME TURN THE HORSE AROUND I HAVE A PLAN!" Vaati screamed and Link took the advice and tried to steer Epona but when the horse turned it was headed straight for Vaati, who had one hand in front of him.<br>"VALE, GET OUT OF THE WAY, YOU COULD BE KILLED!" Link pleaded, but Vaati only grinned and stood his ground. Epona darted towards Vaati, Link screamed, and the grin on Vaati's face grew.  
>IS HE INSANE! EPONA WOULD RUN OVER HIM AND HE'D BE DEAD! DOES HE NOT KNOW THAT? EPONA STOP/ Link thought in worry  
>Noticing someone in front of her, Epona tried to slow herself as she neared colliding with Vaati, the whole enigma caused dust to form, blocking ones sight of things, but when the dust cleared, in the middle of Kakariko Village, Vaati was standing in front of Epona, of whom Link was ridding.<br>"Whoa, that's a neat trick." Link said as he got off Epona  
>Thank Nayru that no one saw the slight blue glow coming from my hand/ Vaati though as he sighed in relief.  
>"Well, now I can get the kids back." Link said cheerfully<br>"FORGET THE KIDS FOR ONE MINUTE AND FOCUS ON THE MISSION AT HAND! BESIDES, THAT HORSE LOOKS LIKE IT CAN ONLYCARRY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE!"  
>"You're right." Link said as he got back on Epona, and for a few minutes there was a silence until Link spoke "Well," he said, "What are you waiting for, get on."<br>"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you're kidding, right?" Vaati jolted, but Link just stared "Ugh, since your obviously not going to understand, I'll explain it to you as nicely as I can, there is no FREAKING WAY I'M AM GOING TO GET ON THAT THING WITH YOU! I'D RATHER RIP OUT MY EYES AND FEED THEM TO KEESE AS A KARGOROC EATS OFF MY FLESH AND…"

Thirty Minutes Later…

"I hate you." Vaati scowled  
>"Oh, you just mad that Renado hit you in the back of the head so hard that you were knocked unconscious long enough for him to help me tie us back to back." Link laughed<br>"And as soon as we are untied, I'm going to punch you in the face, Kick you in the stomach, and smash your head against a wall so hard that you forget all about knocking me unconscious."  
>"You're hungry aren't you?" Link remains optimistic<br>"GAH" Vaati screams "WILL SOMEONE UNTIE ME BEFORE THIS MORON STARTS TO SING!"  
>Link begins to sing<br>"ARG, PLEASE ANYBODY!" Vaati screams as they continue on, annoying the hell out of Vaati.


	9. Chapter 9

"Who's there?"

Chapter 9  
>Sumo:<br>Link and Vaati arrived near Ordon Spring by sunset after a rather annoying trip there and Link decided to untie them when...  
>"ARGH, ACK, OW!" Link screamed as Vaati punched him in the face, kicked him in the stomach, and smashed his head against the ground, because he couldn't find any walls.<br>"Okay… I deserved that." Link said as he got up.  
>"NEVER TIE ME TO YOU AGAIN!" Vaati screamed<br>"But the how will you get back to…" Link stopped when Vaati began to explode again  
>"I'LL WALK BACK TO THE VILLLAGE!" he yelled<br>"But I'll get there long before you…" Link hesitated  
>"THEN I'LL START HOURS BEFORE YOU EVEN WAKE UP!" he yelled again<br>"But…" Link said only to piss Vaati off more  
>"AND I'LL RUN!" Vaati continued angrily "AND SHOULDN'T YOU BE VISITING YOUR MAYOR!<br>"Oh yeah…" Link said as he began to walk towards the village but he stopped when he noticed Vaati was setting up a camp along the road between Link's house and the spring.  
>"Um, what are you doing" Link asked with confusion<br>"Baking a giant apple pie for you and all of the villagers, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE, I'M SETTING UP CAMP!" Vaati shouted  
>"But my house is right down there" Link pointed<br>"Yes but if I have to get up before you I have to sleep somewhere the light will wake me when it starts to rise." Vaati hid the real reason and thought /I'm already traveling with you, you had Renado knock me unconscious, and you tie me up, WHAT IN DIN'S NAME MAKES YOU THINK I WANT TO STAY AT YOU HOUSE!/  
>"But you don't have a sleeping bag." Link added<br>"Well then I'll just sleep on the ground." Vaati became more frustrated  
>"Link, Vale will be fine, just worry about getting my fused shadow" Midna chuckled and Link continued on towards the village, just as he did, Vaati pulled a palm-sized blanket and used his magic to return it to normal size and started on the fire.<p>

XXXXXXX

Link arrived back at Vaati's camp site around nightfall, exhausted and hungry, and sat around the fire while Vaati roasted a fish.  
>"So how did things go with the mayor?" Vaati asked<br>"Well…" Link hesitated as he remembered repeatedly being pushed out of the ring until he got it.  
>"It went great" He lied as he stole Vaati's fish and started devouring it.<br>"That was… screw it." Vaati grumbled as he got another fish.  
>"Where did you get all the fish?" Link asked<br>"Caught them." Vaati answered as Link yawned, got up, said good night, and left.  
>Soon after that Vaati ate his fish, put out the fire, and went to sleep.<p>

XXXXXXX

"Ugh…" Vaati opened his eyes slowly, but then panicked at his surroundings, and endless nothingness, but his hands were chained by the darkness that surrounded him.  
>"Well, well, well," The same voice from his previous dream spoke, "Are you ready to reconsider my offer."<br>"Never." Vaati spat  
>"Are you sure," It urged, "You could rule over everyone, have the power you were looking for, after all those centuries, you would win"<br>"Are you deaf, I said NEVER!" Vaati struggled in the dark chains  
>"Well then," The shadowy figure began to become clearer and Vaati was able to see a giant eyeball<br>"It is a shame, but you leave me no choice," said the figure when suddenly, Vaati couldn't breathe, he was being chocked by the darkness, then the figure reappeared and almost plugged a claw into Vaati's heart when he suddenly woke up gasping for air.  
>"Stupid dream…" He mumbled as he got up and began to walk towards the spring.<p>

XXXXXXX

Midna popped out of Link's shadow while he was a sleep and started towards the area where she sensed magic being used, but as she past by Vaati's camp site to see that Vaati was not there, but she noticed a large blue glow coming from the Spring and as she looked in she could have sworn she saw Vaati's hands glow blue as he was healing his injured leg.  
>"Nghh…" He twitched as he continued but suddenly stopped when he felt a presence.<br>"W-Who's there?" He asked hesitantly and repeated more firmly "Who's there?"  
>Suddenly, Midna slowly and fearfully came out from behind the stone wall.<br>"Ah, Midna, What brings you to the spring at this late hour?" He laughed as he recognized who it was.  
>"Oh, I, well, I sensed a use of magic around this area and decided I would check and see if everything was alright…" Midna paused at the question she was about to ask should I bother asking him why he was using magic, or more importantly how he learned magic? / She thought and then spoke "Vale, I… I think I'm going to go back to bed." She hesitated and began to walk away, but then stopped and spoke again, "Um, just asking, but where did you learn magic?" a she asked that Vaati froze as if he were coming up with an excuse  
>"Magic? What are you talking about?" He said with a confuse expression, in order to mask the fear and hesitation.<br>"Just now," she replied, "I saw you're hands radiation a blue light, was that not magic?"  
>"I…" Vaati hesitated, "I was just pouring spring water on my leg in hopes that it would help heal it."<br>"But the glow…" Midna continued, confused and weary  
>"Was merely the water healing my leg, I can tell because it feels much better." Vaati laughed "I think you should go back to bed, I can assure you that the only magic you sensed was the water, not me."<br>"Okay, guess this all makes sense." Midna agreed "Whatever, I'm going back to sleep."  
>Finally/ Vaati thought /that was a close one, smartass, you're just lucky you did this at one of the springs and not in the middle of the forest or Din knows where else for that matter! What was I thinking! IF SENSING MAGIC WAS ONE OF THE BASICS THEN WHAT IN SUBROSIA MADE ME THINK THAT FOR A SPLIT SECOND SHE WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO! IT WAS SO GODDESS DAMMED STUPID! YOUR SUCH A STUPID, STUPID IDIOT VAATI! SHIT…/ the sorcerer froze in the middle of mentally scolding himself remembering what Faron told him about 'an event that could lead to your demise.'  
>"Dammit Vaati…" He cursed silently "The stupid idiot who could have died today,"<br>/DUMBASS!/ he continued to mentally scold himself, /MINDLESSLY USING MAGIC AROUND A MAGIC USER, YOU STUPID IDIOT, AFTER CENTURIES OF HIDING, COVERING, AND BUILDING A NEW LIFE SO THAT YOU CAN REDEEM YOURSELF, AND ALL THAT COULD HAVE BEEN GONE IN MINUTES! ALL SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO DO IS GET THE EVIDENCE THEY NEED AND IT'S AN INSTANT DEATH SENTENCE, OR…/ He froze at the thought, /don't even think about that, not again, never again, death, just death, that's all, that's all that could happen. / He just stood there for a few minutes, trying to forget. "Dammit just be careful…" he whispered to himself.  
>With that he decided to tear down his camp, then he walked down to the spring and warped near Kakariko Village's spring, in hopes that Midna would leave him be, and he was right. Midna was too tired and convinced to bother looking around where she sensed magic and went back to sleep.<p>

XXXXXXX

Vaati warped to a part of Kakariko Village connected to the back of the spring that was sealed off by a rockslide. Vaati looked around and began walking up a small tunnel that led to a cliff overlooking the back of the spring while staying hidden. It was the perfect spot to sit and wait, and that was exactly what Vaati did, until Eldin noticed the presence five seconds later.  
>'Something troubles you sorcerer?' Eldin asked<br>"How did you… but, when did, how?" Vaati responded, incredibly confused.  
>'I can sense your presence from fifty miles away, mage' Eldin laughed<br>"Well so much for hiding." Vaati grumbled  
>'Now what troubles you?' Eldin got back on topic<br>"And you can tell something's wrong, great!" Vaati moaned, "So what, now am I going to have to tell you!"  
>'Only if you chose' Eldin responded<br>"I suppose you expect me to start crying and telling you that I can't handle the stress of everything, but I can, so there."  
>'So not even what Faron told you can cause worry?' Eldin asked<br>"What… you knew?" Vaati remained stunned  
>'Well of course, each Guardian spirit can only give some much information to an individual pertaining to their death in an attempt to warn them.' Eldin explained<br>"Then why did Faron only say that he would warn me about an event that will lead do my demise?" Vaati questioned  
>'So that you would be more cautious, Midna nearly caught you doing magic, did she not?'<br>"I guess that's a reason, oh well…" Vaati said and nearly walked off when Eldin spoke again  
>'Something else troubles you'<br>"What," Vaati attempted too seem confused "What do you mean?  
>'I'm a guardian spirit not a circus clown, boy, you're going to have to do better than that to fool me' Eldin laughed<br>"It's just some dream I had, nothing much" Vaati only used part of the truth in this lie  
>'Well then, if you say it was only a dream it was only a dream, right?' Eldin pressured vainly<br>"R-Right." Vaati stuttered a bit.  
>'The sun should be up soon, and so should Link, It would be best if you made it look like you came here not too long ago.' Eldin advised<br>"Okay…" Vaati agreed and walked over to the front of the spring  
>"Thanks…" He whispered<p>

XXXXXXX

About an hour after the came up Vaati found himself woken up to the sound of a horse he was leaning against the wall of rocks next to the spring.  
>"HEY VALE!" Link shouted<br>"Huh, oh hey." He said as Epona slowed, and Link hopped off  
>"So how long a go did you get here?" Link asked<br>"About half an hour ago." Vaati replied  
>"Cool so let's go to the temple!" Link said cheerfully<br>"Whoa there, you don't think just 'cause you have some metal boots that you can… Wait, where did you get metal boots?" Vaati asked  
>"The mayor" Link smiled<br>"Figures…" Vaati mumble, "Whatever, I guess we should be fine"  
>"YAY!" Link squealed with delight<br>/Dear Farore Link's about as annoying as his shadow/ Vaati thought  
>"BUT NO SINGING!" Vaati made clear<br>"Awww…" Link moaned, "Fine."  
>"Great, now let's go." Vaati said as he pushed Link towards Death Mountain<p>

XXXXXXX

Link began to climb up the small cliff near the entrance as Vaati waited for Link to give the signal. Suddenly he felt a small tremble followed by a grunt and…  
>"SHIT!" Vaati screamed as he dodged the flying Goron<br>"ALL CLEAR!" Link gave the signal as Vaati quickly climbed up  
>"Let's go…" he said when suddenly another tremble followed by another Goron came. Vaati took a few steps back, causing him to nearly fall, as Link took care of everything. The whole climb up was basically Link stopping rolling Gorons as Vaati stayed out of his way, avoiding small geysers, and dodging fire arrows that were shot at them by bublins until they reached Death Mountain.<br>"Well, we made it back to Death Mountain." Vaati sighed  
>"We? I did all the work." Link chuckled<br>"Hah," Vaati laughed but then points to the large rock tower, "Well how do you propose we get up there Mr. 'I did all the work' "  
>"Honestly…" Link pondered, "I have no idea."<br>"Well standing up here doesn't help! Let's get a closer look." Vaati said as he began to climb down and Link followed, though they had no idea that two Gorons at the top had spotted him and on had gone to tell the elder. Just as Link and Vaati began to explore the back part of the bottom while avoiding the flaming rocks, they were quickly interrupted by one giant, meteor sized peg of flaming death that missed them by a few feet.  
>"Well, it certainly looks like a traditional welcome party." Midna chuckled<br>"Ha, ha…" Link laughed sarcastically as he and Vaati made an attempted to get up and brush themselves off when a Goron on guard duty spotted them and began to walk towards them, hands clenched into fists, readying an attack.  
>"LINK, DUCK!" Vaati said as he moved them both out of the way, causing the Goron to stumble. Vaati quickly grabbed his sword, sheath attached, and hit the Gorons arm, causing the guard to roll back to the spot he was in before spotting them, and remained in that ball-like state as Link and Vaati ran towards him.<br>"Link get on, when the Goron uncurls you will be tossed up high enough to reach the cliff." Vaati said and Link got on, but…  
>"GET ON QUICK!" Link screamed as the rumbling coming from the Goron progressed while Vaati made an attempt to climb on.<br>"HERE TAKE MY HAND!" Link said but suddenly the Goron shot up causing Link to land on the ledge above and Vaati to be thrown back. As soon as he got up, Link scrambled to see where Vaati was to find that he was still down there.  
>"GO AHEAD WITHOUT ME I'LL FIND ANOTHER WAY UP!" Vaati said as he dodged the Goron.<br>As soon as he saw Link leave, Vaati rolled out of the way of the Goron and ran far enough away so that the Goron wouldn't notice him until he could find a quick way up there.  
>'There's got to be… that's it! The elevator the Goron used to help me get to the top to deliver the milk' Vaati remembered as he began to look for a cave entrance around the bottom of the rough, rocky tower.<p>

XXXXXXX

"AAAAAAAAAH!" Link screamed as he was knocked backwards, but he felt the trip down was a little longer than usual and expected the worst only to find water break his fall.  
>"Oh look brother a human." Said one Goron with glee<br>"But how did such a tiny human make his way up here?" questioned another one  
>"Is he alright?" said the shopkeeper<br>"I don't know" said the Goron by the shop  
>"Did anyone ask you?"Replied the shopkeeper<br>"huh…" Link groaned  
>"Wh- Where am…" Link jolted<br>"Whoa there small fry, what's your rush?" Said the shopkeeper  
>"Wait… You're not going to attack?" Link asked<br>"We would if we were on duty." Answered the Goron behind Link

"So where am I?" Link asked |"Ngh, Stupid rock." Vaati said as he tried to  
>"You're at Goron spring" said the Goron |move the bolder in front of him.<br>Behind him. |"Dammit it won't budge, heh, magic it is."  
>"Link!" Midna said as she popped out of his |Vaati told himself as he started to move the<br>Shadow |rock.  
>"Yeah, Midna?" Link responded |"Almost, there." Vaati grunted<br>"There's something going on in that cave" |Soon enough the rock moved and Vaati quickly  
>Midna said |ran up the rock ramps to the elevator.<br>"Hey, what's through that cave?" Link asked |"Dammit I need a Goron… or magic" Vaati  
>"Oh, there's an elevator only accessible by us | smirked as he readied a magic attack on<br>Gorons" Responded the shopkeeper |the switch  
>"Gorons, oh well, let's just keep going" Midna |"5, 4, 3, 2, 1" Vaati told himself as his<br>Sighed as they continued | fist pounded the metal switch on the elevator.

Soon enough Vaati was at the top when…  
>"INTRUDER!" Screamed the Goron guards as they came to attack causing Vaati to put his hands in the air<br>"Wait!" He screamed  
>"What!" Said a Goron guard<br>"I'm not an intruder." Vaati said sheepishly  
>"Yes you are." Replied another guard<br>"But I need access to the mines." Vaati hesitated  
>"Then you will have to battle me Vale." Said one of the elders<br>"I have a friend who is going to do that," Vaati replied  
>"Well where is he," the elder debated<br>"Can I go check to see?" Vaati asked, though he nearly shrieked  
>"Make it fast," allowed the elder as Vaati rushed to the front to see how much longer it would take Link. As he peered out he saw link fly and land three platforms away from him and ran back inside.<br>"He should be here any second…" Vaati told awkwardly, "Can, uh, I wait for him until he comes?"  
>"Fine," said the elder," due to your past service to us, I will allow you to wait. Sit next to Pitral and Tay."<br>"Thank you," Vaati said as he sat next to the two Gorons  
>"Uh, hi?" Vaati said awkwardly, trying to make conversation when suddenly Link rushed in.<br>"INTRUDER!" screamed the Gorons  
>"That's not an intruder that's Link" Vaati said as he got up to talk to Link<br>"Vale, what's going on?"Link asked  
>"Oh, uh, you're going to battle the elder for access to the mines, heh," Vaati replied<br>"WHAT! WHAT KIND OF BATTLE?" Link screamed quietly  
>"I don't know." Vaati said, "What Kind of Battle is it?"<br>"It is a sumo match." Replied the elder  
>"I would where the iron boots if I were you and good luck," Vaati said as he went to sit down and link entered the stage, wearing the iron boots.<br>"Let the match begin." Said the referee  
>I don't like how this looks/ Link thought as the battle began.

XXXXXXX

"I still don't feel good about beating an old man." Link pouted  
>"We're in the mines aren't we?" Vaati asked<br>"Yeah I guess." Link said as they continued through the entrance to the mines.


	10. Chapter 10

"It's been a long time hasn't it old friend"

Chapter 10  
>Old and New, The Twilit Igniter Fyrus:<p>

The first room of the mines was difficult, mainly because Link nearly ran into every blast of lave thrown at them. Somehow they (Link) made it out in one piece. Of course the next room was questionable.  
>"It's hopeless" Link moaned, "we're going to die!"<br>"Link, we've only seen the first room and you're saying we're goners!" Vaati remarked, "Where's your usual optimistic attitude?"  
>"I kind of…" Link hesitated "I kind of have this small fear of lava."<br>"How small?" Vaati asked  
>"I DON'T WANT TO BURN TO DEATH!" Link shrieked<br>"Ugh, you like this with the spiders!" Vaati complained  
>"Who can blame me?" Link replied "Spiders are horrible creatures full of poison!"<br>"And you're courageous" Vaati laughs  
>"That's not funny!" Link barked<br>"Yeah, fine," Vaati sighed "Well if it makes you feel any better you can take the path up away from the lava and I'll take the path down where the lava can burn me alive and I'll catch up later."  
>"Okay, I guess" Link said as he as he rushed upwards and Vaati started downwards.<br>As he got to the bottom he was greeted by a group of moblins that as easy to kill as they look. As Vaati was running back, key in hand, he notice Link was standing there next to the rotating platforms.  
>"Okay, what's wrong?" Vaati asked Link<br>"Lava, Moving, Burning DEATH!" Link cried  
>"Ugh, fine, I'll go first," Vaati moaned as he moved like a Sheikah across the rotating platforms<br>"Well come on." Vaati said  
>"But I'LL BURN!" Link screamed<br>"No you won't, quit being a baby and hop across!" Vaati demanded  
>From the demand, Link quickly maneuvered across without flaw.<br>"Hah! Take that Lava!" Link boasted when suddenly a geyser of lava shot up next to them, causing Link to hop into Vaati's arms  
>"Well, this is awkward." Link said<br>"Incredibly." Vaati replied as he dropped Link, "Let's just get into the next room."  
>As they reached the next room, the lava geysers scared Link into forcing Vaati to go down first. As Vaati does all the work, he notices a stone door that has a set time before closing.<br>"Link!" Vaati screamed  
>"What? I'm not coming down!" Link reminded<br>"You're going to have to." Vaati stated  
>"Fine, but if I burn to death it's your fault!" Link moaned<p>

XXXXXXX

"Why did you make me go through that?" Link asked  
>"What do you mean?" Vaati yelled, "You weren't even close to the geysers, I did all the work."<br>"Okay, fine" Link spat "If you do everything then how do you get us past this?"  
>"Hmmm." Vaati examined the room," You can swim well, right?"<br>"Not really." Link replied  
>"Ugh, well then just hop in with your metal boots, walk across, by the looks of it you will hit a switch that will trigger a magnetic field above immediately pulling you out of the water under the platform that holds a door leading to the next room." Vaati explained<br>"Uhh, can you explain that in a language I can understand?" Link asked  
>"Why do I keep forgetting you never went to school?" Vaati replied<br>"I don't know. Why are you purple?" Link questioned  
>"I don't know, probably genetics." Vaati answered<br>"That would explain your eye color" Midna added as she popped out of Link's shadow  
>"I don't know… that eye color is becoming more common now." Link debated<br>"We're getting of topic, now put on your metal boots and hit that switch." Vaati demanded  
>"Why don't you?" Link asked<br>"Because I don't need metal shoes to reach the bottom" Vaati replied  
>"This is true." Link said as he put on the shoes and did as told with Vaati following but…<br>"AHHHHH!" Vaati screamed as he was immediately pulled out of the water by the grip of Link's hand around his wrist, "FOR THE LOVE OF NAYRU WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!"  
>"Quit squirming," Link demanded, "Besides how else are you going to get up here?"<br>"It's called tossing the boots down!" Vaati screamed as Link slowly dragged Vaati up.  
>As soon as they got up on the platform Vaati punched Link in the stomach.<br>"You really need to stop that." Link responded  
>"And YOU need to stop coming up with your "brilliant" ideas!" Vaati added<br>"You think you can do better?"Link edged  
>"Better than you that's for sure." Vaati laughed<br>"Oh, you think you can take me!" Link answered  
>"I know I can take you" Vaati smirked<br>"Boys," Midna said  
>"Bring it on Gibdo" Link snickered<br>"Boys," Midna repeated  
>"Your funeral green bean" Vaati replied<br>"BOYS!" Midna screamed, "Just focus on getting me my fused shadow!"  
>"Stay out of this!" Link and Vaati scream in unison and continue to bicker<br>"Gah," Midna moaned as she smacked Link  
>"OW!" Link screamed, "Why do you only hit me?"<br>"Because you annoy me more!" Midna replies, "Just get what we came for!"  
>"Fine with me," Vaati responded<br>"Let's just get on with it," Link added

XXXXXXX

"Wow that guy was short." Vaati chuckled  
>"I know," Link agreed "and who knew a Goron could have geysers on their back."<br>"Yeah that was weird." Vaati replied, "I had to keep myself from laughing."  
>"What about Oocoo, where did we meet her before?" Vaati asked<br>"Oh, While you were saving the other monkeys, There was a pot just like this one with a head sticking out of it," Link explained, "So I picked it up and pop goes the Oocoo, she can teleport us out of the mines and back where we were."  
>"Ah," Vaati said, "That explains how you used the bathroom in the middle of the temple."<br>"So anything in mind for this part of the room?" Link asked as he examined the room.  
>"Hmmm," Vaati thought, "More magnetic boot walking?"<br>"How'd you come up with that?" Link asked  
>"I don't know," Vaati said sarcastically, "Maybe it'd have something to do with the blue magnets imbedded in the walls!"<br>"Oh," Link responded, "Then how will you get across?"  
>"I'll run across." Vaati stated plainly<br>"How… screw it, I'll go across." Link gave up  
>"But I'll go first" Vaati said<br>"What," Link jolted, "Why do you get to go first?"  
>"Unless you want third degree burns." Vaati laughed<br>"Fine." Link pouted as Vaati ran across, and used his sword to swat the flaming slug into the water below. Link on the other hand, took a minute to get across. The next room required some sacrifice on Vaati's part.  
>"Link…" Vaati hesitated, "See that switch over there?"<br>"Oh yeah…" Link realized, "I'll go step on it."  
>"Wait," Vaati said, "Gah, I can't believe I'm even saying this but considering the circumstances… Take my hand."<br>"What?" Link was shocked, "You'd usually kick my ass if I did that."  
>"I know but it doesn't look like there's any other way for both of us to get across." Vaati answered, "So stop making a big deal about this and let's just get it over with and never EVER speak of it again!"<br>"Okay, I guess," Link shrugged as the magnetic field forced a creeped out Link holding a disgusted Vaati's hand onto the ceiling.  
>its times like this I wish I could go back into the day where I could use my magic freely!/ Vaati thought as he sliced another flaming escargot.

XXXXXXX

"So what now?" Link asked  
>"Do you just not feel like not observing your surroundings before you ask me," Vaati ranted "Or do you just like being an ass?"<br>"But I'm not as smart as you." Link said innocently  
>"Flattery will get you everywhere expect around me." Vaati replied<br>"And I was really hoping that that was going to work." Link moaned  
>"Well since you don't want to do anything," Vaati laughed, "Then I'll do all the work again."<br>"Okay." Link smiled  
>"Din help us if this the hero they chose." Vaati snickered<br>"Hey I'm not that bad!" Link growled  
>"Then do something." Vaati responded<br>"Fine I will!" Link spat as he walked off, but half way to the first control platform he realized what had just happened and started walking back the a laughing Vaati  
>"Oh, you're good." Link snarled with envy<br>"HAHAHAHA, I still can't believe you fell for that one! HAHAHAHA!" Vaati laughed  
>"Now go do all the work." Link ordered<br>"As so as, HAHAH, I can catch, HAHA, my breath" Vaati continued to laugh  
>"Why can't you do it anyways," Vaati got a hold of himself<br>"Oh come on Vale, it's a platform surrounded by lava." Link hesitated, "One wrong step and I'm gone."  
>"Fine," Vaati spat, "Just to show you there's nothing wrong with the platform, I'll go and defeat all the monsters."<br>"Okay." Link smiled  
>"Wait," Vaati stopped, "If you were afraid of the platform sinking, then why'd you want me to go?"<br>"Because if anything happened you would just hop off like it was no big deal." Link responded  
>"That," Vaati said "Is probably true."<br>With that being said, Vaati walked off, killed all the monsters, and then walked back to Link.  
>"I need to borrow the iron boots." Vaati stated<br>"What! Why?" Link jolted  
>"Because you're too scared to walk over there and there's a switch that can only be activated with extreme weight." Vaati explained<br>"Fine." Link sighed as he handed Vaati the boots, "But I'm only letting you borrow them."  
>"Yeah, yeah, borrow blah, blah, blah, give them back after I'm done, I get it." Vaati responded as he went back over to the switch, put on the iron boots, and stepped on it. Suddenly a magnet imbedded in a crane was activated as well as the crane. As soon as Vaati got back he handed Link one of the boots.<br>"Why did you only hand me one?" Link said in an alarmed tone  
>"Because," Vaati responded, "There's a magnetic crane headed back here and I'm not going to hold on to you, nor am I going to let you touch me when we can clearly get across with one boot each."<br>"That is very true." Link said, "But wait, doesn't that crane go over lava?"  
>"Yeah, why…" Vaati replied, "Don't tell me you're too afraid."<br>"Uh huh." Link stared at the lava bellow.  
>"Ugh, I guess I'm going to have to drag you over to the crane." Vaati moaned<p>

XXXXXXX

After they completed the next room and entered this new one, the tide of emotion changed rapidly.  
>"HAHAH, man was that funny!" Link laughed<br>"I know," Vaati laughed with him, "Who knew bublins were so stupid."  
>"Like when I dodged one of their clubs and it hit the other one." Link reminded<br>"Or like when I missed the moblins when using the slingshot," Vaati snickered, "And one of them turned and hit the other one in the face, starting a fight that would finish each other off."  
>"Aw." Link examined the room, "I have to hop across more rotating platforms or its instant death."<br>"Link," Vaati stared, "Your lack of perception amazes me, if you fall you fall into water not lava."  
>"Oh, then I should be fine," Link realized as they continued on to the elder and soon to get the hero's item.<br>XXXXXX

As Link and Vaati entered the ring made of magnets a Goron rose and spoke  
>"Humans!" He said, "This place is forbidden, no humans allowed, I must protect the treasure."<br>As soon as he said that he broke the rink from the chains suspending it in air causing it to plummet in the lava but not sink. The battle began. Link wore his iron boots in fear of sinking into the lava as Vaati faced off with the Goron, hitting him repeatedly with his sword until he curled up into a ball and started to roll towards Link, who as in the opposite direction.  
>"LINK! DEATH MOUNTAIN TRAIL!" Vaati shouted in hopes that Link would get it.<br>Link got in position, grabbed the Goron, and threw him into the lave causing him to bounce around. This process repeated three times until the Goron had enough.  
>"Who knew humans had such strength," He spoke, "Maybe, you are going to see the patriarch of our tribe?"<br>Link and Vaati shook their heads  
>"So that's why you are here." The Goron realized. "Then take the hero's weapon, but you must save the life of our tribe's patriarch."<br>"I will." Link promised  
>The lava soon lifted the platform back to its original place, allowing Link and Vaati to get across. In the next room there was a chest. As Link opened it, he grabbed the bow.<br>"So now all we have to do is get the next part of the key and save this place." Vaati said  
>"Hah, you make it sound so easy, "Link laughed sarcastically as they continued on.<p>

XXXXXXX

As Link and Vaati entered the boss room, they gasped at the giant creature in front of them that was shackled to the wall. Suddenly the crystal on his fore head began to glow, waking Darbus, causing him to throw a fit and try to escape his shackles. Darbus soon used the power of the fused shadow to set himself a flame without harming himself or going out. The flaming giant started rampaging around trying to put an end to the hylians bellow him. One running franticly, the other dodging attacks.  
>"LINK, TOSS ME THE BOW, I THINK I HAVE A WAY TO BEAT HIM!" Vaati screamed as Link found an opening to toss the bow to the person with a plan. As soon as Vaati got far enough, he chucked a pot at the giant beast in hops to get his attention<br>"HEY, UGLY!" Vaati screamed Darbus became annoyed and angrily started walking over. Vaati aimed the bow and fired it at the crystal on the monsters head.  
>"Link, grab the chains and equipped the iron boots!" Vaati screamed as Link did so, causing the giant flamethrower to fall, allowing the flames on its body to recede allowing Vaati to slice at the crystal on his forehead.<br>As soon as Darbus got back up and reignited the flame casing he turned towards Link and Vaati and spat flames at them.  
>"LINK, WATCH OUT!" Vaati screamed as he pulled Link out of the way of the flames.<br>"Wh-What was that!" Link panicked  
>"Don't worry, we'll just repeat what we did before," Vaati said, "I'll distract him while you get ready to grab his chains until I hit an arrow into the crystal."<br>"I still don't know how you made that switch in my boots." Link said recalling when Vaati asked to see the boots Link before teleporting out to use the bathroom, meanwhile Vaati supposedly upgraded the boots by adding a switch caused by hitting the heels of the shoes to inflate or deflate the metal, causing it to hide in the shoes your wearing as well as making it weightless when deflated. Even though he doesn't know how Vaati did it, because it's impossible, he won't ask any questions.  
>Quickly hitting the heels of the shoes, Link once again was able to knock the monster down and temporarily extinguishing the flame allowing Vaati to hit the crystal one more and repeat until the battle was done.<br>Link hid behind Vaati until the crystal was through shooting out lava bits and exploded. The ash covering on Fyrus receded revealing Darbus. The twilight that surrounded from the ash soon again merged forming the next piece of fused shadow.  
>"Eee, hee, hee! Well done." Midna said as she popped out of Link's shadow. "Since you've done so well as to get me two fused shadows, I'll tell you an interesting little secrete."<br>/Please nothing about me/ Vaati mentally prayed  
>"Zant." She said as Vaati sighed in relief, "That is the name of the King of Darkness that cast shadows over your world"<br>/Isn't King of Darkness fat Ganon's title? / Vaati thought  
>"In your current state you would be nothing to him." Midna continued, "But Zant is not my King! I hold nothing but scorn for his supposed strength, not that your Zelda is much better."<br>/It isn't just Zant…/ Vaati repeated in his head  
>"I'm still appalled that this world is controlled be that princess, A carefree youth in a life of luxury." Midna ranted "How does that teach duty?"<br>/Cause Zelda doesn't know work or shame./ Vaati rambled in his head  
>"But I shouldn't judge her life, besides, it's not like she choose it. And it's not like I would wish harm on her." Midna sighed, "As long as I get the fused shadows I'll be fine."<br>"Well we have two now." Link reminded  
>"Just one more left." Midna responded as she opened a portal, "Shall we."<br>"Link, wait one minute." Vaati said as he walked over to Darbus to check on him.  
>"Hey, rock face, remember me?" Vaati said as he shook Darbus a bit<br>"Urggh, Ugh…" Darbus moaned, "What, what am I doing here, Ow, my head."  
>"He'll be fine." Vaati said as he walked back<br>"Ready to go?" Midna asked Link  
>"Yeah." Link responded as Midna teleport them to the spring.<br>As they got there, Eldin spoke  
>'Heroic Link…' Eldin spoke, 'North of here past the great stone bridge the Great Spirit Lanayru…' he continued 'you will find the one you seek'<br>Link nodded his head. As Vaati and Link were walking, the ground started rumbling…  
>"LINK, GET DOWN!" Vaati screamed pulling Link to the ground as King Bublin came through, in the middle of the road, Beth stood there, frozen. Colin ran to push her out of the way, in turn getting captured by King Bublin himself. King Bublin rushed of and Vaati raced after, using a slit bit of unnoticeable magic to help him run faster as he knocks a bublin off of its bullbo and takes it for himself.<br>"LINK, GET EPONA!" Vaati screamed as he rode off in attempt to catch up with King Bublin.  
>As Vaati got over the fence to North Hyrule field that battle began. Vaati chased King Bublin while attacking his minions, hitting the king a couple of times. Soon king bublin rode off temporarily leaving Vaati to his minions for a while. As Link joined there King Bublin was, on the hill, waving Collin who was tied to a pole. As round two started, it started to rain. Link and Vaati used a combo of attacks on King Bublin and his minions. After enough King Bublin ran on to the Bridge of Eldin. As Link and Vaati chased after him, getting on to the bridge, a group of bublin archers hit the entrance from both sides.<br>It was round three, the showdown between Link and King Bublin. Link and the King went charging towards each other, Link landing this blow. Then next attempt caused Link to fall of Epona, almost falling into the endless pit beneath the bridge, until Vaati intervened, throwing Link onto the bridge and heading over to hit King Bublin for a finishing move to end this fight. As Vaati and the King charged at each other, between the two it was a draw, Vaati knocked King Bublin down, but before falling, he grabbed Vaati. Link's eyes widened with horror as he rushed to see what happened. He saw Vaati dangling from the side holding an unconscious Colin. As Link grabbed Colin he rushed back to Kakariko, leaving Vaati to get up and back on his own, ignoring the fact that the arm that was holding Colin had a large cut down the side from the peg of broken wood that slid down his arm when the pole Colin was tied to broke.  
>As Vaati got back, everyone was around the spring to examine Colin and his "Savior" as they finished speaking<br>"Link, you have to save Ilia," Colin said before losing consciousness once again.  
>"Leave Colin with me, it's getting late, you should get some rest as well." Renado said as he took Colin to the inn so he could rest.<br>"Link, you are so amazing," Said Beth as the kids gathered around him to give him praise. Vaati walked off, unnoticed, unrecognized, back towards Death Mountain. The destination Vaati had in mind was behind the mountain, where large mounds of rocks were placed like a memorial.  
>"It's been a long time hasn't it old friend" Vaati laughed,<br>"Long is an understatement." Said a voice  
>"Nice to see you again, Helmaroc." Vaati said as a large, translucent Bird, with navy feathers appears over the dirt mounds, "So how's the afterlife been?"<br>"Good, I got into the realm of the goddesses." Helmaroc cheered  
>"And here I was thinking we'd end up in the same place when we die."Vaati chuckled<br>"You haven't changed a bit." Helmaroc smirked  
>"Not true," Vaati laughed in debate, "I'm on the hero's side now, or for the time being."<br>"Ah, you know you really have to visit me more, I thought you were dead!" Helmaroc joked  
>"Not now, but soon I guess." Vaati sighed<br>"I heard." Helmaroc replied, "Want to tell me everything that's happened while I was dead?"  
>Vaati and Helmaroc spoke untill it was almost morning. They talked about everything.<br>"And now I'm here." Vaati concluded  
>"Wow," Helmaroc replied, "That is a lot."<br>"I know." Vaati said  
>"Well, it's almost dawn." Helmaroc said, "You should get back to your quest, and kick Ganondork's ass for me."<br>"Will do." Vaati laughed as he said goodbye to his dearest friend and got back to the Village.  
>I just hope we can chat again/ Vaati thought, /before I reach my predicted demise./


	11. Chapter 11

"What was that?"

- means flashback

Chapter 11  
>Bridge in Ruin, Lake Hylia:<p>

Vaati returned to Kakariko Village when the sun just barely started rising, and the light hit the tops of rocky landscape. Link and Midna were waiting by the inn. Link was half asleep and Midna looked a tad worried, but that worry soon began relief as she saw Vaati.

"O-oh, Vale," Midna stuttered, "Where were you? I got worried."

"I just went to check on the Gorons." Vaati assured Midna

Something about that seemed odd to Midna. 'Why would he visit a place we just were at?' Then something caught her eye, a large rip in the part of sleeve on his upper left arm that revealed a bandage covering his upper left arm, most of which was covered in blood. Her eyes widened in horror at the sight of it.

"What happened to you arm?" She said with alarm, pointing at the wound.

"Oh, that?" Vaati asked

"Yes! Don't act like it's nothing!" Midna demanded

"Midna, it's not that bad, I got it when the wooden pole Colin was on broke." Vaati explained,

"A large, sharp peg of wood slid down my arm, so I guess it made this cut."

"Here, let me see how bad it is." Midna said as she un-wrapped the bandages to reveal a gash in the middle of his upper left arm, about 6 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 3 millimeters away from the bone.

/Link left Vale on the bridge, WITH THIS! / Midna screamed in her head.

"Vale," Midna asked holding the blood soaked bandage Vaati had, "how long have you had this bandage on"

"Not sure," He though, "I'd have to guess about, 30 minutes at most."

"How are you still, I don't know, ALIVE?" Midna demanded

"Oh," Vaati remembered, "I soaked my arm in the Goron Hot spring for a bit and was able to stitch some of it up."

"You mean it was worse than this!" Midna screamed lividly, "Link, you LEFT HIM DANGLING ON THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE WITH A GASH WORSE THAN THIS!"

"I said cut." Vaati said sheepishly

"Geez Midna," Link said, "I was busy getting Colin back to the village!"

"HE WAS ONLY UNCONSCIOUS, NO LIFE THREATENIGN INJURIES, VALE HAS A 6 INCH GAHS ON HIS ARM!" Midna protested

"Why do you care so much?" Link asked

"HE SAVED YOUR ASS ON COUNTLESS OCCASIONS AND DOES ALL THE WORK!" Midna replied, "MY QUESTION IS WHY DON'T YOU CARE!"

"He said he was fine." Link moaned

"I am fine." Vaati added

"NO YOU'RE NOT!" Midna growled

"Calm down Midna," Link demanded, "your scream more than a kargoroc!"

"AND YOU'RE DUMBER THAN A SLUG!" Midna replied

"Um, can I have my bandage back?" Vaati asked

"MUTATED IMP!" Link snarled at Midna

"Um… hello?" Vaati continued

"GREEN MEAT SACK!" Midna yelled back at Link as they ignored Vaati

"Um… anyone?" Vaati tried in vain

"BLUEBERRY!" Link spat

"PEA BRAIN!" Midna yelled back

"Um… I'm fine, really," Vaati hesitated but they continued

"BLUEBERY"  
>"PEA BRAIN"<br>"BLUEBERRY"  
>"PEA BRAIN"<br>"BLUEBERRY"  
>"PEA BRA…"<p>

"CHILDREN, ENOUGH," Vaati snapped, "CAN WE PLEASE CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT SPIRIT BEFORE YOU TWO ADD TO THE MIGRAIN YOU GAVE ME?"

"Fine with me," Link stated rudely but Midna interrupted

"Oh no," she said, "You're not going anywhere with a wound that bad, no your healing it in the spring!"

"But I'm fine." Vaati replied, but Midna shook her head and started dragging him towards the spring.

/Wow, so this is what mothers are like/ Vaati moaned in his thoughts as Midna got him to the spring

"Damn it, the waters too shallow." Midna cursed

"Well it looks like there's a spot back there," Vaati told, "What about over there?"

"Your right, okay, up you go." Midna said as she used her magic to lift him on top of the small waterfall at the spring.

"I could have climbed up." Vaati said

"No way, you are not climbing anything with that arm." Midna demanded  
>As the continued behind the stones atop of the waterfall, Vaati was correct. There was a pool of spring water, deep enough to fit two hinoxes. It was the perfect place for Vaati to heal as much of his arm as possible. The pool was mostly surrounded by a naturally carved wall of rock that formed a "C" shape. Vaati laid down on a shallow part of the pool, and set his arm in a deeper part and waited for it to heal enough so that they might continue on. 6 inches became 4 inches. 2 inches became one inch, and 3 millimeters became 1 centimeter. But that was it, nothing more. The spring did all it could. As Vaati got up and started back towards Link, they noticed Colin by the door of the sanctuary.<p>

"Link…" Colin said in attempt to walk over Link, but then fell. Vaati and Midna remained hidden behind one of the rocks atop of the spring.

"Whoa Colin, take it easy." Link said with concern

"Ilia," Colin ignored, "You have to save Ilia."

/Oh great/ Vaati thought, /More distractions/

"The monsters left me with the other kids," Colin continued, "But they must have taken her somewhere else!"

/Will this kid just get to the point, we have a world to save here!/ Vaati thought impatiently

"Whenever I thought I couldn't go on," Colin told, "I would think of you and Ilia and hold on."

/For the love of Nayru hurry up kid!/ Vaati grew more impatient

"Link…" Colin got back up, "See? I-I'm fine now."

/Good, now shut up and let us leave for Din's sake!/ Vaati's temper grew

Link smiled and got back up as Colin spoke some more "Remember what I told you back in Ordon, Link?"

-  
>"When I grow up," Colin said "I'm going to be just like you, Link!"<p>

"So you don't have to worry about me anymore!" Colin continued "Go help Ilia!"

/And that's the end of it so will you shut up!/ Vaati thought irritably

"Leave the children with me. I will watch over them." Renado said, "I swear it."

/Mother of… can we just go now!/ Vaati thought, now getting a migraine

"Do not let their fates trouble you." Renado continued, "Go help those who need you."

/And we intend to, now SHUT UP!/ Vaati grew more angry

"In Hyrule countless tales are told of the ancient hero," Renado told, "and your deeds bring them all to mind."

/SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!/ Vaati screamed in his head

"May the graces of the great goddesses who shaped Hyrule bear on your way." Renado finished and he and the children bowed

"Thank you." Link said as they walked off.

Soon after Vaati and Midna walked towards Link

"Dear Farore could that have taken any longer!" Vaati snarled

"No, Link just doesn't know when to end all the praise and glory." Midna laughed

"What is that supposed to mean." Link jolted

"Oh nothing," Vaati laughed, "It does make sense though, Mr. Hero."

"Can we go now?" Link asked

"Oh now you want to leave." Midna replied, "What happened to 'Oh, I have to save Ilia so I'm just going to stay here and get praise that shouldn't be mine' to hold you back?"

"Let's just go!" Link growled

"Wow, even as a human he still acts like a wolf." Vaati laughed

"DAMMIT CAN WE JUST GO!" Link snapped

"Fine," Midna said, "cranky ass hero"

Link seemed to becoming more and more pissed at the comments Midna and Vaati were making, but at least now they can move on. Link mounted Epona and Vaati mounted his bullbo and they continued to Hyrule field, though as soon as they got out, they were greeted by the postman,

"HEYYYYYYYY!" Said the postman

"Oh goddesses not him again." Vaati moaned

"Mr. Link, I have a letter for you, two in fact" The postman handed Link the mail and continued,

"Well my business is conclude. Onward Mail!"

As soon as the postman left, Link and Vaati headed off to the bridge of Eldin, but shortly after crossing and clearing the rocks with the bombs Vaati got in Hyrule Castle town, Vaati and Midna were able to sense an imbalance of magic, as all three of them turned, they witnessed a large chunk of the bridge taken by twilight and teleported somewhere else, disabling them from returning to that side of Hyrule. Shortly after, three more shadow beasts fell onto the bridge of Eldin. Link and Vaati quickly killed all three in order to activate another warp point.

"Great, we're trapped." Link said

"Well let's just move on, we have more business over here than over there," Vaati said as the continued towards the wall of twilight.  
>As they arrived, Vaati and Link dismounted their animals and headed over.<p>

"Link," Vaati said, "Before we go in there I need the bag of items."

"WHAT!" Link jolted, "WHY!"

"Because you can't use them as a wolf and trust me, there are going to be times when we need them." Vaati explained, "So give me the bag."

"Fine." Link grumbled as he handed Vaati the bag of items

"So with that out of the way are you ready to go back in?" Midna asked as Link and Vaati nodded

"Alight then, Vale, you know the drill." Midna said as she and Vaati walked in. Midna grabbed Link and pulled him in shortly after.  
>As soon as Link resumed his wolf form, Midna once again hopped on his back.<p>

"Alright then," She said, "I guess I'll be helping you."

"What a surprise." Link replied sarcastically  
>"But what a shame this is the last of the twilight," Midna continued, "I have become so fond of seeing it cover this world."<p>

/I haven't/ Vaati thought sorrowfully

"Or is it really the last that you'll see." Midna laughed

"I hope it is." Link said

"Well, let's just get going." Midna replied as they continued.  
>Only shortly after they started Link found a bag on the ground that gave off a familiar scent.<p>

-  
>"But Link, can you at least promise me this?" Ilia asked, "Just come home safely."<p>

"You smell the girl, don't you?" Midna teased, "I can tell by the look on your face."

/Okay, WHAT GIRL?/ Vaati asked in thought

"Well, good, it's another clue then." Midna continued, "But this scent could be quite old, I wonder if she's still alright."

"Okay, WHAT GIRL?" Vaati asked

"Oh, Link's little girlfriend back at his village." Midna laughed

"She's NOT my girlfriend!" Link hissed back

"Okay, just wondering." Vaati said as they continued to North Hyrule field until Link stopped to examine his surroundings.

"Hey haven't we seen this castle before." Midna laughed, "So we've finally made it back here! We only have a little farther, so hang in there."

Vaati nodded but Midna continued on, "Or I'd like to say but," She said, "The going's a lot harder from here on out."

"Well then we'll have to get a lot harder too." Vaati smirked

"Alright then," She replied, "Let's get started."

With that note, Link, Midna, and Vaati fought through Twilit Moblins and Kargorocs to make it into Hyrule castle town.

"Wow," Link said, "This is Hyrule Castle."

"No," Vaati responded, "It's only Hyrule castle town, that's the castle."

Link looked over to where Vaati was pointing and Marveled at the enormous castle.

"That's even bigger," Link drooled, "We were in that."

"Vale, how do you know all of this?" Midna asked, but Vaati remained silent, "Why were you in that prison cell?"

Vaati was quiet for a minute and then spoke, "I've been to castle town before," He said, "And when the beasts saw I wasn't a spirit, they threw me in that cell."

All this was very convincing, and a person would have to be stupid not to believe it, but Midna just knew that there was something behind all of this. Somehow, someway, he was hiding something and she knew he was. /But what? / She thought, /There has to be something/ While Midna was thinking, Link sniffed out something that disrupted those thoughts.

"Ilia's that way!" Link said, "Come on."

"You go ahead." Vaati replied, "I'll catch up later, I just need to grab a few things"

"Okay, we'll meet you back in the center of the town." Link said before chasing after the scent.

Vaati ran towards a small apartment building in central castle town. Opening the doors and running up to the second floor, Vaati stopped at a locked apartment unit. Pulling out a key that lay hidden around his neck, Vaati unlocked and opened the door and ran inside. It was a regular apartment, dark wooden floor, dreary grey walls, a few counters and stove by the wall on the left side of the door acts like a kitchen, a coat rack on the right. A small bathroom at the far end of the unit, just a bath tub, toilet, and sink compact inside walls of thick wood made up the bathroom. A bed about a yard away from the kitchen and bathroom provided a place to rest, desk and chair two feet in front of the bed for work and when you need a place to eat a meal, and an old chest sat next to the bed. The counters were nothing expensive, some cheap wood made the counter tops and drawers, common wood supported the rest. The stove was any regular stove, a stone block, hollowed out enough to fit heated food it, but not enough for the fire to burn the floor, two metal shelves used to heat food, one inside for things like bread, and one on top for soups and stews. The bed was a regular bed, some wood supporting a mattress, and a pillow and blanket on top. The desk was made of the same common wood as the counters, only it was painted black, and the chair was painted white. The chest was old and worn, all the paint was washed from the structure, some parts of the wood were warped, but it was still able to hold whatever he needed. To some people, this living space insignificant, but to Vaati it was home, or at least for now.

Not wasting time getting lost in the nostalgia of the moment, Vaati grabbed the purple cape hanging on the coat rack and put it on. Then he headed over to the old chest, Vaati put on his gauntlets, a small bag of rupee's, needle and thread, and dug through the piled items until he pulled out something long and wrapped in an old cloth. Vaati then ditched the stolen sword and un-wrapped the long item. He soon equipped an old, rusted sword. The sword had a slight resemblance to his Ordon sword, only it was old and rusty, something that would be sold for free in the streets, but its strength was almost equivalent to the Master Sword, something only he knew, for he made it himself. It was the same sword he won the championship with all the centuries ago, when he first attacked Hyrule. Attached to that sword, was an old, grey, sheath that he bought after the Palace and Tower of Winds was destroyed, but that's another story. Then he dug through the piled items until he found a small bag, about the size of a green rupee, and attacked it to his belt next to the items and rupees. When he was done, he put everything back the way it was and ate some old, unheated bread on one of the counters that he made for breakfast the day Ganon attacked Hyrule. Though it was stale, Vaati need some food desperately, Link ate 80% of the food they got over the past few days, not the longest he's gone with little or no food, but still enough to keep him hungry. After eating enough for a little bit of energy, Vaati proceeded on, exiting the apartment, locking the door, and rushing down the stairs into central castle town to wait for Link until he came, so he wouldn't know where Vaati was.

XXXXXXX

"Well," Midna said as they examined the map on the back table in Telma's bar, "Looks like we know where to head next."

The Bar was well decorated, tables here and there, stone floor and walls, a wood and stone bar that was also a place to buy meat. There were barrels of alcoholic drinks by the sides of walls. The only difference was an unconscious young Zora boy laid on few crates and a blanket, Ilia sat on a crate next to him, and next to her, was Telma. Link had found her in this bar when searching. She couldn't see him, and he didn't yet know what had happened to her.  
>Link ran to meet up with Vaati, as he and Midna ignored the missing person's posters of Vaati. As he ran towards the center of town, he noticed Vaati's new clothing upgrades.<p>

"Where'd you get that?" He ask, Midna wanting answers too.

"I left a few things here when the beasts took me." Vaati responded convincingly.

"Okay, well we need to head to Lake Hylia." Link said ignoring everything Vaati said, "Let's get going."

They were off again towards Lake Hylia.

XXXXXXX

As they arrived at the bridge over Lake Hylia, Vaati noticed something funny.

"Link, maybe we should find another way, I think that someone put oil on the bridge and… LINK!" Vaati screamed as he ran in the middle of the bridge to get Link and Midna off the bridge.

"Link, do you smell something funny?" Midna said as Vaati ran over. Suddenly A moblin archer lit fire to both sides.

"Oh, no! We're trapped! Get out of here!" Midna shrieked and Link freaked out.

Vaati picked Link and Midna up and threw them off the bridge, and the jumped off the bridge himself out of the fire, only a second away from being burned alive,. While jumping down, from the large inhale of smoke, Vaati soon fell unconscious, Midna was just barely able to catch the sorcerer before he hit water, and set him by the Puddle.

"Well it's a good thing we landed in…" Midna paused, "Wait a minute, THIS IS LAKE HYLIA!"

"This is it?" Link replied, "It's a puddle!"

"Well, we should probably head over and check on the water flow," Midna instructed, "but first things first, we need make sure Vale's alright."

"Yeah," Link agreed, "It looks like he has a few burn marks on his hands, arms, and face."

XXXXXXX

-  
>"Hey, no fair, give it back!" demanded a young Minish<p>

"No way freak," Replied a larger Minish boy in front of him, "It's my hat now!"

"Nya, nya, little loser, red eyed freak!" sang the three Minish girls around the boy.

"See, no one likes you!" said the larger boy, "Not even you own parents!"

That comment bothered the smaller one, and the red eyed, lavender haired, pale skinned, 10 year old Vaati grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes at an over grown, brown haired, tan skinned, beady eyed Tartori.

"Hey, get a load of this little punk!" Shouted Tartori

"Give it back!" Vaati barked

"Oh you want it back?" Laughed Tartori, "Here…"

Tartori punched Vaati in the stomach, and then kicked him to the ground while everyone was yelling "FIGHT" and laughing as Tartori shoved Vaati's face into the mud, Vaati, screaming from the suffocation of it all. When Tartori was done, he got up leaving Vaati in the mud, turned back, spat in his hat, and threw it down in the mud with Vaati and said, "Here's your stupid hat back, weirdo."

"…."  
>"…Vale…" said a strange voice<br>"…Vale…" it said again.

"Vale, you still with us?" Midna repeated

"Ugh…" Vaati grunted as he tried to get up, "Where, What… what happened?"

"Vale, you okay?" Midna asked

"Huh, oh, yeah I'm fine." Vaati said suddenly realizing where he was, "What happened to all the water?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Link said  
>Vaati made an attempt to get up, but fell back down clutching his left arm.<p>

"OW!" He screamed, "SON OF A FUCKING BIGGORON, WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED!"

Midna and Vaati look over at the cut, which had now torn to 7 inches long, 3 inches wide, 5 millimeters away from the bone, some burns inside and around. Actually, most of his body was covered in first degree burns and a few second degree burns.

/Goddesses, how can he live through all this? / Midna thought to herself

"Whoa, Vale, take it easy, you do not look like you're in good shape." Link said with concern

"Yeah," Vaati said as he sat back down, "Maybe I should just….."

Sudden screaming from the other side of the dry lake cut Vaati off and caused the two to look and see a Dark figure falling from a high part of the rock wall that goes up to Gerudo desert, and attempt to climb it again.

"What was that?" Link asked

"Probably a moblin or bublin or something," Vaati replied, "It doesn't concern us now, let's just see if I can get up, and we'll proceed from there."  
>Link and Midna nodded as they tried to plan out a way to get up to Zora's Domain, the source of water flow.<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

"YOU CAN'T DIE ON US NOW!"

Chapter 12  
>Life or Death, a Sorcerers Fate:<p>

"What do we do," Link asked, "With no other options?"  
>"WHAT A WASTE OF TIME," Midna screamed, "ALL OF IT!"<br>"Its… not… their… fault…" Vaati struggled to say after they took a trip to each spring in hopes of a miracle healer, but they found none to their luck. They were currently at Lake Hylia again in search of help. Vaati's energy was dropping fast, he couldn't even perform a small healing spell, nor would he risk it. He needed to get to Lanayru spring, fast.  
>"What about him over there?" Link pointed to the spirit next to the wooden house.<br>"We'll have to try." Midna replied  
>The three walked towards him, Vaati limping all the way, occasionally falling on the ground or Link. Vaati only caught part of the conversation when they got there. He met the old man once before, he recalled his name was Fyer, from Fyer and Falbi's Watertop Land of Fantastication. He only caught the end part.<br>"Whuzzat, a customer?!" Fyer questioned, "YIKES! IT'S A MONSTER!"  
>Link and Vaati rushed over, but long before they got there, Vaati fall over hard. As soon as he hit the ground, a bottle rolled out of the items bag. Inside that bottle was a red potion.<br>"Where'd… that… red potion… come from?" Vaati asked  
>"Oh, heh, I forgot about that," Link laughed, "Let's just say I can't go back into that shop outside of the forest temple ever again."<br>"Quickly Vale, drink it!" Midna demanded, "It could heal some of your minor injuries!"  
>Vaati lost no time, quickly opening and downing the potion and placing the bottle back in the bag. Some of the burns and cuts on his arm began to heal, and Vaati was able to stand and walk a slight bit better. Talking wasn't as hard either. The two then quickly ran over to the moblin. As soon as they got there the moblin quickly grabbed a blade of grass, played a similar song to that of what Link played to summon owls. Suddenly a Twilit Kargoroc flew down and the moblin hopped on, shooting arrows at them from above. Vaati quickly jumped up, using a slight bit of unnoticeable magic to help him, and knocked the moblin off, leaving him to Link as he tried to gain control of the flying beast. Midna ran to help Vaati as Link beat the archer. Victory was theirs as Midna and Vaati were able to finally convince the overgrown keese to help them.<br>"Hey! Why don't we use this guy to get us all the way to the lake's water source?" Midna stated  
>"I have a name you know." Replied the kargoroc, but only Vaati could hear it.<br>"Yeah, that's a great idea." Link replied at Midna's Comment.  
>Um… you said something…/ Vaati attempted to communicate telepathically.  
>Yeah, I have a name, it's Mitra! / Telepathically replied Mitra, the kargoroc  
>Oh, um, hi I'm Vaati/ Vaati thought awkwardly.  
>Vaati? As in ancient demon Vaati? / asked Mitra in shock  
>Yeah, and keep your mouth shut about it! / Vaati demanded  
> You know there's an arrow in your side? / question Mitra  
>Yes, yes I do. / Vaati moaned  
>"What's with this stupid thing? MOVE IT!" Demanded Midna<br>"Hey, there's an arrow in Vale's side!" Link announced  
>Link ran around the barren grey landscape in shock, as if Vaati's injuries weren't bad enough, now there's an arrow too.<br>"Yes there's an arrow!" Vaati hissed, "Let's just go alright!"  
>"NO," Midna jolted, "AS SOON AS THIS THING MOVES YOUR GOING TO BE DROPPED OFF BY THE SPRING!"<br>"I'm coming with you two," Vaati demanded, "I know the way, neither of you will be able to make it without me!"  
>Midna growled for a bit but then said "Fine, but if for one second I think you're not going to make it, I'm going to warp you back to one of the other springs!"<br>"Well then, let's go." Vaati grinned  
>"That's what I've been trying to do, but this stupid thing won't move!" Midna growled<br>/Come on Mitra, grab Link and fly towards Zora's domain. / Vaati said  
>Got it. /Mitra replied s he did just that, surprising Link and Midna.  
>"Finally!" Midna replied as Vaati ripped the arrow out of his side, "Vale! What are you doing?"<br>"It'll only create more trouble!" Vaati said as he clutched his side. His wounds were increasing. The cut on his side was near the right side of his hip, three inches long, one inch deep, bleeding heavily. His cuts and burns were taking their toll, weakening him. Even with his injuries, he had to steer Mitra  
>Left! Right! Up! / Vaati kept mentally demanding. Mitra took the advice. He was unfamiliar with the path, so he didn't question what he was told. Vaati was hanging on as best as he could, Midna behind him. While dogging the flaming arrows, one just missed Vaati's hand, but this sleeve caught fire.  
>"Crap, Crap, CRAP!" Vaati screamed as he patted the fire on his sleeve till it was no more, but Mitra soon lost direction and began to fall.<br>/UP! LEFT! DOWN! / Vaati screamed in his head in attempt to steer back into the air. But he had to dart back down because Mitra had accidentally dropped Link. Grabbing the pup by his tail and quickly guiding Mitra towards the exit, Vaati was unable to hold the wound on his side as it spat out more blood.  
>As soon as they were over a portion of land on the upper part of Zora's River, Vaati dropped Link and fell off Mitra.<br>"Vale!" Midna screamed as she and Link rushed over to him. His injuries were progressing more and more, most of his clothing was stained red or burnt. Only 20% of it was still even a little bit clean or at least shown purple. The gash on his upper left arm, almost a third degree burn on his right, cut on his right side, more burns on the left and all over his body, a small cut on his lower lip, chin, bridge of his nose, and near his cheek. There were more small cut all over his body or at least small to him. To Midna and Link, this wasn't something they thought he could live through.  
>How could he withstand so much and still be alive? / Link thought with worry  
>"Dammit Vale," Midna cursed, "I knew we should have left you at the spring!"<br>"Heh," Vaati laughed, "not much… good now is… it…"  
>"No, you're going straight back there!" Midna scolded, "Understand!"<br>"I don't know the way back." Said Mitra, but everyone could hear it.  
>"So you do… speak hylian…" Vaati laughed<br>"Some." Replied Mitra, "And short lady, I have a name!"  
>"Oh really, what is it then?" Midna smirked<br>"Mitra." He replied  
>"Well then, Mitra, think you can get Vale back to the spring?" Midna asked<br>"Vale, you mean…" Mitra stopped when Vaati's eyes widened and then spoke again, "The purple guy over there?"  
>"No, I mean the wolf in perfect shape- OF COURSE I MEAN THE PURPLE GUY WITH LIFE THREATENING WOUNDS!" Midna snapped<br>"I don't know the way." Mitra said, "And even if I got him back, the spring is broken."  
>"What do you mean by broken?" Midna stared<br>"The spirit has been separated from its light!" Mitra replied, "Haven't you done this before?"  
>"Dammit!" Midna cursed under her breath, "I forgot."<br>"Leave him with me," Said Mitra, "you go save the Zora's."  
>"Thanks." Link said as they ran off.<br>/How can you speak…/ Vaati thought  
> You don't remember/ Mitra laughed, /I'm the pet you got Shadow Link when his other pet died, I believe it was Arrgul, Arrgin, Arr…/  
>Arrghus…/ Vaati though, /his pet's name was Arrghus/  
> I see, / replied Mitra /and didn't you have a pet? /  
>Friend, not pet / Vaati growled  
>Ah, yes, Helmaroc was it? / asked Mitra  
>yes./ Vaati replied

XXXXXXX

"Quickly," said Midna, "We have to get that boulder directly over Zora's Domain to melt the ice!"  
>Sooner than usual the water from Zora's Domain was unfrozen and flowing again. What Midna didn't know was that the blast of water hit Vaati and Mitra, flushing them down stream. Midna and Link were about to leave when they heard a voice…<br>"Wait!" it said, they look over and see a female Zora, "Please, you must allow me to thank you for revitalizing both my people ant this spring, which is the water source for all lands in Hyrule."  
>"You're welcome, now if you will excuse us, we will be leaving." Midna replied, but the Zora spoke again.<br>"In Life I was the elder of this Zora village and Queen of my people," She continued, "I was called Rutela."  
>"That's all very nice but we have to leave." Midna urged in vain, "besides, it's not like we did it for you guys."<br>"The dark ones…" Rutela recalled, "They raided this village, and as a message to my people, executed me before them."  
>"I still don't see how this pertains to us." Midna moaned<br>"Shut up Midna." Link whispered  
>"Young man…" Rutela continued, "You who take the form of a proud beast…"<br>/We seriously have to go, now. / Midna whined mentally  
>"I have something to ask of you." Rutela said, "When the dark ones descended upon our village, I sent my young one, Ralis, to Hyrule Castle to inform Princess Zelda of our fate."<br>"Too bad Zelda's been captured." Link muttered under his breath  
>"But… I fear danger followed him from this doomed place," Rutela worried, "I feel it, his presence grows fainter to me over time…"<br>/Just like Vale… / Link thought sorrowfully  
>"But my time in this world has passed, and though I would give it gladly," Rutela continued, "I no longer have a life to risk in his rescue."<br>"And you need us to do it." Link replied  
>"Yes…" nodded Rutela, "Please… would you save my dearest, Prince Ralis?"<br>Link nodded his head at her.  
>"If you do this thing, I will bestow upon you the protection of water." Rutela promised, "This power will grant you the ability to swim and not respire in deep water, as if you were a Zora."<br>"Heh, finally, Link can learn to actually swim." Midna laughed  
>"Please… Save my son…" were her last words, "and your friend."<br>Link Dived into the water in the hopes that they would end up back at Lake Hylia. To their luck, Midna and Link washed up in front of Lanayru spring. They cut their celebration short when they heard faint panting next to them. Looking over to see what was there, they were horrified at the sight of Vaati, damp and drenched, bleeding heavily wrapped in Mitra's wings to keep him warm. Cuts became major wounds, and it looks like new cuts formed, as if there was a struggle going down river. Mitra soon awoke and looked around.  
>"What happened," Midna asked the large bird, "Why are there more cuts on him?"<br>"While being sent down," Mitra prepared the news, "we were attacked, Vale defended me during it by sword but some arrows hit him in the process."  
>"Well come on," Link said, "Let's get him to the spring!"<br>"Why?" Midna asked, "It won't help him."  
>"Yeah," Link replied, "But at least he might be safe."<br>Midna nodded as Mitra carried Vaati inside as they entered. They were greeted by a broken light spirit that said,  
>"I am… the last of the spirits of light…consumed… by twilight." It said, "Hero… chosen one of the gods… you have… done well to make it this far."<br>"Aw, he's flattered, but we need that vessel of light so that you can heal our friend." Midna pointed out  
>"Then gather… my scattered… Tears of Light… that were stolen by shadow…Gather them... in this…" Lanayru handed them a vessel of light and continued, "I am sure… you know by now… the form… that these dark insects take… when they… steal our light…"<br>"Yes, we are fully aware." Midna nodded  
>"In this shadow realm… of twilight… the insects… are invisible… like the humans… of this world…" Lanayru informed, "Collect… my light… Lift the final cloud of twilight…that threatens to cover…all of Hyrule… and I will save… your friend."<br>Link nodded as he and Midna left but…  
>"Wait!" Said Mitra, "I believe you will need me in the future, play the song and I will come."<br>"Thanks." Link replied as they ran off to gain tears of Light.

XXXXXX

"Where am I?" Vaati said to himself as he looked around the void of darkness  
>"Hello again." Said a familiar voice, it was what had been haunting his nightmares.<br>"Why do you continue to pester me?" Vaati asked  
>"Pester you…" said the eyeball, "funny, am I not recognizable like this or…" the eyeball soon became a small minish, with long lavender hair, eyes of crimson, a T shaped birthmark on his checks, and pale purple skin, "am I recognizable now?"<br>"Wha-What," Vaati jolted, "What…are you?"  
>"Hah, you still don't understand…" It laughed, "I am…" the minish became Hylian, "you."<br>"But… h-how…" Vaati asked  
>"I am all that you were, are, and…" The Hylian transformed back into the demonic eye, "will become."<br>"But… I…" Vaati's sentence was cut short and finish by his double  
>"Am not as changed as you think you are…" it finished<br>"That doesn't matter!" Vaati replied, "I'm still going to help save Hyrule!"  
>"You…" said the eyeball as it turned into a hylian again, "You sicken me! You could have been great but…" The hylian became minish once more, "you choose to stay weak and miniscule."<br>"Heh, if dominance is your idea of greatness or power than I'd rather stay weak." Vaati laughed  
>"Does it matter…" Said the minish as it became an eyeball and showed Link and Midna struggling to get Light Tears, "Try as they might…" It switched over to a vision of Vaati, battered and bloodied, the glare from his eyes was as dead as he was, "They cannot halt your fate, or more so, our fate."<br>Vaati's eyes came to the realization of it all,  
>"Now do you see…" It said, "He can't save you no one can!" It laughed, "All of your work wasted."<br>"I might be a dead man but…" Vaati smirked, "My work was not wasted."  
>"So defiant!" screamed the eye, "Hyrule was yours and it slipped through your fingers! You are going to die without redemption! Yet somehow, someway, you are going to let it! Without thinking it unfair! Are you not worthy to rule Hyrule! You, who worked your way to the top, just to be brought down time and time again! Does it not enrage you!"<br>"What, losing Hyrule or the lives I've ruined trying to control it?!" Vaati screamed back furiously  
>"Defiant pest, you…" The eyeball was cut by Vaati<br>"Pest! You're the only pest, you who stand there proudly, you who've called me blind when you are the only one blind! If anyone is defiant it would be you!" Vaati barked  
>"Well then…" The eyeball sneered, "Meet your fate!"<br>A claw soon went through Vaati's stomach and maniacal laughter followed. Vaati woke up coughing up blood as a pool of red formed around his stomach.  
>end for me…/ Vaati thought, happily yet sorrowfully as he lost consciousness. Soon the spring lit up, the twilight ceased and Link was teleport with Midna, who was now a shadow, and Mitra, now a normal kargoroc, flew over. Horror struck as they saw a puddle of blood and Vaati the one who lay in it.  
>"DAMMIT! COME ON!" Midna screamed "YOU CAN'T DIE ON US NOW!"<br>"Here…" Mitra said as he picked up and placed Vaati in the shallow portion of the water and waited with Link and Midna.  
>'As you have fulfilled your promise, I shall fulfill mine.' Said Lanayru as she used the power to try and heal the battered mage. The lake lit so bright that the group almost had to cover their eyes. When it was done, they looked over and saw Vaati, still unconscious, but blood no longer pour from his body, his clothes were fixed, showing no rips or tears, hair fixed, blood washed from his clothes and face. Almost like when they first met him.<br>"How bad were his injuries?" Link asked  
>'I'm surprised he's alive, he should have died, but I believe if you had waited any minute longer, he would have been dead.' Lanayru said. The fatal reality of what could have happened had even Midna trembling,<br>/what would we have done, if he was dead…/ Midna thought as they placed Vaati on the grass and went over to listen to what Lanayru had to tell them.


	13. Chapter 13

"And if you peep one WORD OF HAVING A PHOBIA OF WATER I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Chapter 13  
>Friends and Fools:<p>

"Are you sure you're okay?" Midna continued  
>"For the last time, I'm fine!" Vaati replied, "Stop worrying about me!"<br>The group had recently gotten Epona and the bullbo from where the wall of twilight was. They were walking while dragging their animals because Link was in no mood to rush back to Castle town, just by memory of what Lanayru told him.  
>Never forget, / the words twirled around Link's head.  
>Cheer up, Link. / Epona hoped  
>Heh, if only we knew what Lanayru said. /Vaati replied telepathically  
>Wait, / Epona stopped, /a human, understand ANIMALS! /  
>Yeah, so. / Vaati spat  
>Slight blue glows, understanding animals…/ Epona added the dots, /a…a SORCERER! /  
>Epona began to freak, kicking her brown hooves in the air and telepathically repenting the word SORCERER! /  
>"Whoa, what's gotten into Epona?" Link questioned<br>/STAY AWAY LINK! / Epona fretted, /THAT MAN'S A SORCERER! /  
>"She's probably having horrible memories about the route." Vaati laughed<br>/Calm down, I the sorcerer who's been saving Link's ass! / Vaati told  
>How do I know you're not trying to kill him? / Epona calmed  
>Link's still alive isn't he? /Vaati persuaded.  
>… Fine…. / Epona huffed  
>"So where in Castle town is the Zora boy?" Vaati asked<br>"I believe it was a bar." Midna replied  
>"Which bar?" Vaati said, "I know of three."<br>"When I checked the sign outside read "Telma's bar" but I'm not sure," Link said, "It could be Telam instead of Telma."  
>"There's no Telam bar that I remember, so it must be Telma." Vaati sighed<br>/Great, like always, my past comes back to bite me in the ass, no matter how long ago! / Vaati mumbled  
>"So, remind me why we're walking?" Vaati asked<br>"What," Link snapped out of it, "Oh, I guess we should head over there quickly."  
>"Oh no Link, take your time, only the WORLD is depending on you, nothing big." Midna laughed sarcastically.<br>"Let's just get on with it!" Link growled back as the mounted their animals and rushed off.

XXXXXX

"Hey, look, we're back!" Link said as he stared once again at the giant structure called a castle. He marveled at the bricks that were piled one after another and sealed by mortar to form two walls around the castle, one inner wall, and one outer wall. The large wooden doors and bridge were something of fantasy from Link's imagination. The entire town and castle were surrounded by a moat that ran under the bridge. It was beautiful in twilight, but something to behold in the world of light. Link and Vaati dismounted their way of transport as Link rushed up to the door while Vaati followed, but passed no further.  
>"Come on Vale, don't you want to go inside?" Link asked<br>"Oh, no, I'm fine," Vaati sighed, "Besides, someone has to watch your horse and my bullbo."  
>"I guess." Link shrugged<br>"You sure?" Midna asked  
>"Yeah, I'm sure." Vaati replied as he watched the two run inside.<br>As soon as he was inside, he looked around with awe. He had never imagined it was as pretty as it was now. But, he needed to focus, quickly run towards were he remembered the bar was. Using a back alley as a shortcut, he rushed down the dark grey brick stair sets through a small door. As soon as he runs in, he overhears a conversation with the doctor and the two women by the Zora boy.  
>"That is a Zora child!" barked the doctor, "This is beyond my expertise! Hmmmph!"<br>The doctor quickly rushes out but bumps into Link, stares, and then starts out again, grumbling all the way.  
>"Doctor! Wait!" cries a girl, "If something isn't done, this child will…"<br>The girl, Ilia, stares down with worry at the beige and brown stone floor that looked that of the brick walls. Soon noticing someone next to her, she stares at Link with distress, but then back down as she walks to her seat next to the Zora child.  
>"Well, this isn't good." Said the older women next to her, "A human doctor won't do, huh…"<br>The women had brown hair, which she wore up, and a dark ethnicity, her brown skirt with a gold rim stretched down to an inch above her ankles. She wore a dark beige blouse that shown a large orange bra. By belief from what he heard, this must be the Telma Vale told him about. Ilia cradled her head in her hands with sorrow.  
>"That old coot reminded me, though… I've heard of a shaman in Kakariko Village," Telma told, "in the Eldin lands, who's tended to Gorons and Zoras."<br>"Is that true?" Ilia jumped up with excitement, "Perhaps if we take him there…"  
>"Inadvisable! Too dangerous!" Cut the captain of the hylian soldiers, "But we can't turn a blind eye to a pretty girl in need, either."<br>/Wow, really? / Link thought in his head, believing the guards noble.  
>"Yes, we'd better escort you! Am I right boys?" The guards cheered<br>"Well isn't that nice." Telma turned to Ilia, "To reach Kakariko we've got to cross two plains that are each infested by dangerous beasts."  
>The guards' cheers died at the mention of danger and beasts.<br>"But we'll be safe now." Telma turned back to the guards only to find all of them left except one, but even he left when he saw no one else. Telma scowls and screams, "Cowards! Don't EVER show your faces in here again!"  
>Telma then turns to Link, realizing that there was one person left.<br>"Oh my!" Telma gasps and smiles, "Looks like we've got one young swordsmen left!"  
>Link tries to say something but gives up at a loss for words.<br>"And not only that, but it looks like this brave young man will escort us, so get ready to go, honey. Pronto!"  
>Ilia nodded her head and grabbed what they needed as Telma walked over to Link.<br>"You know that girl, don't you?" Telma asked and Link nodded, "It's a real shame… she can't even remember her own name right now."  
>Poor Ilia…/ Link sighed  
>"Bless her heart," Telma continued, "She found this poor boy collapsed on the road, so she did all she did to save him."<br>/Wow, that's Ilia alright. / Link commented in his head  
>"More courage in that girl than in all the soldiers of Hyrule, for sure!" Telma went on, "Lend your strength to her, you hear me?"<br>Link nods as Telma's cat, a white Persian that wore a purple bow, rubs against Telma's leg and watches Link, but then smelt something familiar on him. Suddenly realizing what she smelled, she followed the scent out the door and through castle town.  
>"Louise!" Telma screams as Link darts after the cat.<p>

XXXXXXX

/Could he take any longer? / Vaati thought impatiently, /I can't wait out here forever! /  
>"Hey, purple lover!" mocked a familiar voice<br>"Who's there?" Vaati whispered  
>"Down here red eyes!" replied the voice. Vaati looked down and was overjoyed to see it was Louise, but slightly concerned by how she got out.<br>"What are you doing here?" Vaati asked  
>"Me, what about you," Louise snapped back, "You were announced missing days ago, and dead yesterday!"<br>"You know me better than that. I'm Vaati for Din's sake." Vaati laughed in whispers  
>"Yeah, I should've guessed, but what are you doing?" Louise questioned again<br>"Helping a new hero, that's what." Vaati replied  
>"So for the past few days you've been helping that green person who's coming this way with Telma?" Louise said confused<br>"What! Crap, I wasn't here!" Vaati said as he slipped under the bridge to stay hidden.  
>"Louise, what have I told you about running off?" Telma scolded, "Oh well, by what you've told me we were headed this way anyways."<br>"But where's…" Link looked around and then caught a glimpse of pale fingers hanging on the side of the bridge  
>"Where's what honey?" Telma asked<br>"Nothing."Link replied  
>"Well then let's get on with it." Telma winked<br>"You go ahead. I'll catch up, just need to check a few things." Link assured as Telma went along. As soon as Telma was out of his sight, Link ran over to the ledge and look down to find Vaati dangling.  
>"Oh… um, hi." Vaati waved<br>"What in subrosia are you doing?" Link asked with concern  
>"Oh, you know, just… hanging." Vaati looked around<br>"Nice pun." Link laughed  
>"Yeah, so, um, where's the Zora?" Vaati asked<br>"With Telma, we're going to have to escort them to Kakariko." Link replied  
>"You mean we'll have to take the LONG WAY?" the sorcerer scowled<br>"Hate to say I told you so, but…" Link stopped when he met the mage's death glare, "Do you need any help getting up?"  
>"No, thank you very much." Vaati spat, "And shouldn't you be with Telma?"<br>"Crap!" Link cursed as he ran off to try and catch up with her.  
>"Well that could have gone better." Louise laughed<br>"Ha, ha, very funny," Vaati laughed back, "Nice to know you still have Telma's sense of humor."  
>"Nice to see you still have the agility of a Sheikah." Louise smirked<br>"Don't make me scratch your ears." Vaati giggled as he got up onto the bridge and began petting Louise  
>"Never *purr* shall I *purr* surrender!" Louise meowed as she began to stretch and sit in Vaati's lap.<br>"Look who surrendered," Vaati laughed  
>"Shut up and keep petting me." Louise purred.<p>

XXXXXXX

"Th-thank you for this," Ilia thanked Link as the prepared for the journey ahead, "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"  
>"Link," Link replied with a smile<br>"…Link," The name seemed familiar to Ilia, but she still couldn't remember it, "I will never in all my life forget your kindness, Link."  
>"Little lady, I think you best save your thanks until we're safe in Kakariko…" Telma laughed, "This swordsman of ours has great eyes, honey. They're proud and wild… like a feral beast."<br>/Heh, she doesn't even know me, and she can tell my wolf like features, / Link laughed in thought as he looked around  
>"We need a beast right now, to keep the real ones at bay. If we make it to Kakariko safely, then we'll have to thank him then, Okay?" Telma winked and Link smiled back, "You remind me of someone I knew, from the reports he died not too long ago, but would've helped with this as well. Actually if he was around we would've been able to see the Shaman a long time ago and not need a doctor, but we have you now."<br>Vaati, who was overlooking Telma from a cliff just above them, heard everything that Telma said.  
>Goddess I only hope she can forgive me, / Vaati thought  
>Link looked around some more while Telma was talking to see if he could find Vale. Then something caught his eye, a pale figure standing next to a kargoroc,<br>/That must be Vale and Mitra, / Link thought with glee as he proceeded with the escort.  
>Vaati mounted Mitra as soon as he saw Telma leave and proceeded to shoot the bublins ahead with newly sharpened arrows. Link and Telma soon reached the bridge of Hylia where Link would face off with King Bublin.<br>/Didn't Vale finish this guy off? / Link thought suddenly noticing that Vaati still had the items bag, /Crap, I hope this guy isn't planning on throwing me off the bridge again. /  
>Link soon headed into battle, but didn't expect Vaati, who was circling the bridge on Mitra, to shoot the King twice, one arrow in front, one arrow in back, causing him to lose control and fall off the bridge but push Link off as well. Vaati quickly swooped under the bridge and grabbed Link.<br>"Thanks," Link said  
>"Don't mention it," Vaati replied as he dropped Link back on the bridge and flew off ahead.<br>"Is that," Telma caught a glimpse of the man riding a kargoroc.  
>"Is that what?" Ilia asked<br>"Nothing little lady, I'm just seeing ghosts again," Telma laughed as they continued on.  
>Up ahead there were more dead moblins and a gate. Link quickly unlocked it with the key he stole off of King Bublin and the proceeded. Soon after they reached the field, they were ambushed by some bublins on bullbos. A kargoroc ahead held a bomb at its feet, Vaati quickly used the Gale boomerang to grab the bomb and drop it on the ambush. Unfortunately one hit the carriage with a fire arrow. Not wasting any time, Vaati quickly used the boomerang to dispel the flame as they proceeded to the next field, and then Kakariko.<p>

XXXXXXX

"He passed through the worst of it, as long as he rests he should recover in due time," Renado assured both Link and Colin as he came out of the other room, "Do you know the fate of his mother?"  
>Link was sad to answer the question, so he looked down,<br>"Her welfare consumes him, he's been mumbling deliriously about her almost constantly." Renado explained and Link continued to look down, "… I can see the knowledge grieves you. It must be an awful memory."  
>"I'll stay with him until he's better, no matter how long it takes!" Colin smiled kindly<br>"Is that so?" Renado kneeled down to face Colin, "Thank you, Colin."  
>Link and Colin soon walked out front to see Telma, standing there.<br>"Hey, Link about Ilia…" Colin said, "Is it true what they said about her?"  
>"Yes, she has lost her memory and regaining it will be no simple task," Renado said, "But it will be alright child."<br>/I hope so, /  
>"If we give her enough time, I am certain that Ilia will find her heart again," Renado assured, "So, Colin, I'd like to ask you to stay in this village until then. It is our turn to show the courage that you have already displayed."<br>Colin smiles, nods, and runs back inside, Renado bows and walks off. Telma, still sitting there smiled and said, "Nice to see there's still hope here. And it's always good to see happy results repay your efforts,"  
>if only one of those results could be regaining Ilia's memory / Link thought sorrowfully  
>"Those skills of yours… any chance you're of the mind to put them to use for Hyrule?" Telma continued, "What hope there is for this kingdom is frail and dying… but there still is a group trying to do what it can."<br>/What kind of group? / Link commented in thought  
>"And I'm a member of that group," Telma winked, "Call me Telma."<br>"I know," Link said as he shook her hand, "A friend told me about you."  
>"And what did they say about me?" Telma asked intrigued<br>"Well, you're just as kind hearted as he said." Link smiled, "So are you heading back?"  
>"No, I may stay here a bit longer, I'm still worried about Ilia, and… well, never mind about the rest." Telma sighed as she walked towards him, "Link, I want to see you in my bar again, you hear me?"<br>"O-okay," Link nodded weakly  
>"The bar is actually kind of a safe house for me and my friends. There's a passageway that leads to the castle from it as well," Telma told, "It used to be easier to keep it safe guarded until he disappeared."<br>"Who disappeared," Link asked  
>"Huh, oh, nothing," Telma smiled as she ran off to talk to Renado, but stopped, "If you ever need anything, stop by, I'll be waiting for you honey."<br>Telma winked and continued on. Above, on a cliff left of sanctuary, Vaati was sitting with Mitra, watch everything that was happening outside. "  
>"Sorry Telma," Vaati sighed, "It's probably better this way."<br>"Hah, you seem even more down than usual," Mitra whispered, "Even when dying you seemed happy."  
>"Yeah, but death, for me, is something that should have come millennia ago." Vaati laughed, "What about you?"<br>"What about me?" Mitra smirked, "I haven't died yet, I got to see you again, all I need to cross off my bucket list is Dark Link and I'm happy enough."  
>"Hah, yeah, where is Dark Link anyways?" Vaati asked<br>"Who knows," Mitra shrugged, "But I'm gonna go."  
>"Thanks for helping me out." Vaati said<br>"Any time," Mitra smiled as he flew off.  
>Vaati looked down and saw Link rushing after the spirit of Queen Rutela, not wasting any time, Vaati quickly jumped from cliff point, to cliff point to catch up until he sees the Zora Queen disappear behind a stone in the graveyard. The stone then lit up blue, and disappeared. Vaati saw Link crawl through a hole that was there and quickly, jumped over to the cliff closest to where Link was going. Vaati saw Rutela floating over a gravestone and Link swimming over.<br>"I am deeply grateful to you for aiding my son in his time of need," She said, "You were right to bring him here. Kakariko Village is a sacred place for the Zora people. It is where we take our eternal rest."  
>You're welcome, / Vaati sighed  
>"My husband, King Zora, also rests his spirit here." Rutela continued, "It is no coincidence that my son found his salvation in this place."<br>/We get it, it's special, / Vaati thought impatiently  
>"…That which I have promised you lies within this grave." Rutela said, "During his lifetime, my husband created garments specifically for the chosen hero, garments that housed the abilities of the Zora."<br>The gravestone moved backwards revealing the armor that Link was looking for. Link walked over to it and grabbed it.  
>"Now, at last I can join my King in slumber." Rutela smiled, "And yet… my son… still knows nothing of my death."<br>/Poor Ralis. / Vaati thought  
>"If you see him again, please pass on this message," Rutela said, "Tell him he must not grieve his mother's passing. Tell him she wanted him to be brave and live on as King of our people. And … Tell him his mother… loves him without end… Tell him…" Rutela soon disappears to join the Zora King in rest.<br>"Now it's a good thing you found all of your friends and picked up that nifty Zora armor." Midna said as she popped out of Link's shadow  
>"Tell me about it," Vaati replied as he hopped down from the cliff<br>"How long have you been there?" Link asked as he jolted  
>"Long enough to hear you conversation with everyone including Rutela." Vaati laughed<br>"Well isn't that nice, now let's take that Zora armor and get my fused shadow." Midna demanded.  
>"Okay, jeez." Link sighed, "So the fused shadow is in the lake right?"<br>"Yes," Vaati replied, "And if you peep one WORD OF HAVING A PHOBIA OF WATER I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"  
>"Okay, okay," Link backed away, "but I am scared of…"<br>Link stopped when Vaati gave him a death glare that made him feel like the mage was actually going to kill him.  
>"I'm scared of… nothing." Link lied, "not scared of a thing, let's go now."<br>"Better," Vaati smirked as they walked off.


	14. Chapter 14

"Hey, there's a note!"

Chapter 14  
>A Mysterious Note, Twilit Aquatic Morpheel:<p>

"Are you sure you can hold your breath for that long?" A Zora armor wearing Link stared at purple sorcerer next to him. They both made it back to Lake Hylia without being noticed, even avoiding the postman. Link completely changed into the armor while Vaati stuffed his cape into a bag and strapped it to his back where his sword was, safely secured so neither would fall out.  
>"Of course I am," Vaati chuckled but Link just stared<br>"Okay I guess…" Link was suddenly cut off again by the continuous screaming from the other side.  
>"!" Was all they heard as the dark figure that had been there since the twilight came and left, fell off once again.<br>"Wow," Link laughed, "That moblin sure is persistent I'll give it that, but what do you think is up there?"  
>"Probably money or something, it doesn't matter," Vaati shrugged, "Let's just get what we need from the temple."<br>"Okay," Link said as he took a breath and dived in, but found he could breathe under water. Vaati took a really deep breath and dived in following Link to the bottom. Only a quarter away from their destination, Vaati started running out of air. He used another bit of unnoticeable magic so as soon as he exhaled a little, a giant bubble was created that fit around his head and half his neck, allowing him to breathe and talk under water.  
>"Where did that come from?" Link asked<br>"I have no idea," Vaati lied, "But it is cool."  
>As far as spells went, Vaati found that underwater enchantments were the simplest to perform, out side of wind that is. He would have used one of the more advanced spells, but he didn't want to risk it and went with what looked like an accidental miracle. As soon as they reached the bottom of the watery seeming arena, they ran into another problem. In front of the temple entrance, a boulder blocked their path.<br>"Shit," Link cursed, "I forgot to purchase water bombs from Barnes in Kakariko!"  
>"Well," Vaati tried to think of alternatives, then, it hit him, "Swim back a bit."<br>"Why," Link raised a brow  
>"Trust me," Vaati glared as Link swam back and watched as Vaati was readying a fist.<br>/Well that's odd,/ Link thought, but he would soon eat that idea when one punch broke the entire stone.  
>"How did you do that," Link stared in amazement, "I can't even open locked doors without a key and you can break large rocks!"<br>"You pick up a few things when traveling," Vaati half lied  
>Well, technically I'm not lying because a trip to the four sword counts as a travel, I think, / Vaati pondered.  
>They both swam in only to be greeted by large jelly fish that tried to electrocute them. Link followed Vaati closely, not wanting to become smoked salmon. They soon reached the top, greeted by some Chus. Quickly killing and collecting the moving jellies, Link and Vaati ran up the stairs to find that a gate blocked their path. Though, unlike the gate from the Forest Temple, this one was different, it couldn't be opened with an item.<br>"We might as well commit suicide, eh." Link said as his small brain gave up.  
>Vaati, on the other hand, scanned the area and saw a small lever that he could jump to and pull. Link noticed Vaati was attempting to jump and grabbed him back.<br>"I DIDN'T MEAN LITERALLY COMMIT SUICIDE," Link screamed  
>"Oh for the love of, Link, there's a lever over there that could open the gate." Vaati stared as Link dropped him, "And even if I fell, we're only a few feet above the lower ground, that's not even enough to possibly fracture a bone."<br>"Okay," Link replied awkwardly, "Carry on."  
>Vaati grabbed the lever and they continued into the next room. Vaati examined the room, then pulled out the bow and fired arrows with bombs attached at the sharp pegs hanging from the ceiling that could've caused trouble for them. Link just stared and asked, "Oh, hey, can I have the items back?"<br>"Ugh, do I have to?" Vaati moaned  
>"Unless you have an alternative where both of us get weapons," Link said, "I see no other way."<br>"Fine," Vaati replied, "But I get the boomerang."  
>"Well," Link said as he handed the mage the weapon, "I can live with that."<br>"You're going to have to," Vaati laughed, "You can't even work the thing."  
>"This is true," link agreed, "And if I had tried I probably would've hit you in the head on accident."<br>"And we all know how that would have ended." Vaati and Link chuckled as Midna popped out of Link's shadow.  
>"If you boys are done performing double stand-up comedy to an empty room," Midna said, "I would really like to get my hands on that last fused shadow so we don't all, I don't know, DIE!"<br>"Keep your mask on," Vaati replied, "We're going."  
>Midna, although outraged by Vaati's statement, decided to leave it be considering they were back to getting through the temple. While Vaati made it to the next room with ease, Link was busy getting mauled by Helmasauruses and the Dinolfo that was on the bridge leading to the main room. Mildly scarred, Link made it to the next room with Vaati alive. To their dismay, the entire circular room seemed like a puzzle. There were two stories that were connected by a rotating stair case; water stood at a low level and in the middle of the room there was a small, room like pillar with a looked door. By the looks of it, that was were the boss was.<br>"Well this looks like fun." Vaati laughed sarcastically  
>"We're never going to make it out," Link whined, "we'll die trying to figure this out! I'm going to die an old man in a temple while the world is crushed by a guy in a fish mask!"<br>"WILL YOU SHUT UP?" Vaati screamed as the green one became quiet, "Look, I already have a key, Ooccoo, and the map, now, will you please, FOR THE LOVE OF NAYRU, SHUT UP!"  
>"How in Subrosia did you get all that?" Link asked<br>"I did it while you were whining," Vaati chuckled, "now will you shut up?"  
>"Sure, I guess," Link shrugged, "But why didn't you do stuff like this before?"<br>"You never annoyed me enough to do this on my own." Vaati replied, "But don't get ANY ideas."  
>"What ideas?" Link looked around innocently as the mage narrowed his eyes, "Okay, okay, no ideas."<br>"Good, now, c'mon," Vaati said as he and Link proceeded to the next room.  
>In the next room there was a Helmasaurus along the large bridge. On sight Link hopped into Vaati's arms and screamed, "AHHHH, IT'S GOING TO KILL ME!"<br>"Link," Vaati stared as he dropped the green one, "It's harmless, see."  
>Link shrieked when Vaati picked up the small metal porcupine and threw it off the bridge. Then he walked over to the door and said, "Link, c'mon, the little guy is gone, it's not going to haunt you in your sleep, it's not going to annoy you forever."<br>"A-are you sure." Link hesitated  
>"Ugh," Vaati face palmed himself, for a Hero with the "Triforce of Courage" he was really timid<br>"Link," Vaati sighed, "There is NO GHOST! NO TRAP! NO DEMON HERE TO EAT YOUR FINGERNAILS! NOTHING!"  
>"But… you're here…" Link soon found himself winded due to a punch in the stomach and dragged into the next room by a rambling mage<br>"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? DIN, NAYRU, FARORE, THIS IS YOUR HERO! WHY! WHY ME?" Vaati moaned as Link watched the floor, not paying any attention as they entered the next room. Link looked around and laughed, he wanted to see what the purple lover had in mind for this room. Oddly, Vaati started climbing one of the walls and hopped over.  
>"What are you doing?" Link asked but as soon as he saw one of the gates drop, he understood, "Hey, you got the door opened."<br>"And a key," Vaati chuckled as Link's jaw dropped  
>"How can you get so many keys?" Link cocked his head<br>"Easy, you annoy me." Vaati smirked as they proceeded to the next room, which contained a chuworm.  
>"You can handle this guy, right?" Vaati asked but before Link could say anything the mage was out the newly unlocked door, leaving Link to fight the bouncing blob of gello.<br>Running out of the way, Link tried to kill the worm, but before he could finish, a rush of water due to an open gate distracted the two and Vaati landed a finishing blow.  
>"Took you long enough," Vaati barked, "How hard is it to kill a worm?"<br>"Um…." Link looked around until Vaati interrupted  
>"Don't answer that," He clutched the bridge of his nose<br>"I know what will cheer you up!" Link giggled as Vaati looked at him with horror  
>"Dear goddesses no, please no." Vaati begged but it was no good<br>"The next day is always brighter," Link began to sing, "The sun is always higher…"  
>"Stop," Vaati said once<br>"Tomorrow is always better and," Link continued  
>"Stop, stop, stop," Vaati said yet again<br>"When your with friends…" Link didn't stop singing until  
>"STOP! FOR THE LOVE OF NAYRU WILL YOU SHUT UP!" Vaati gripped his hand over Link's mouth<br>"Mufla la wah loflo," Link muffled under Vaati's tight clutch  
>"What," Vaati took his hand off of Link's mouth<br>"Life is… grand!" Link finished the song as the mage stared at him with disbelief.  
>"Link," Vaati sighed and held up an arrow, "you see this?"<br>"Yeah," Link nodded his head, scared of what's to come next  
>"Good," Vaati smiled as he proceeded to punch Link in the face<br>"OW!" Link screamed, "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"  
>"WHAT HAVE IT TOLD YOU ABOUT SINGING?" Vaati barked back<br>"Not to sing while getting the second fused shadow?" Link smiled innocently  
>"… Link," Vaati clutched the bridge of his nose again<br>"Yeah," Link asked but received a knee to the stomach as a reply  
>"Okay…" Link said as he lied on the floor, winded by Vaati's hit, "You win… I'll… stop singing…"<br>"GOOD!" Vaati hissed, "Now let's get going."  
>The two walked out of that room to the next, and avoiding the Helmasauruses, quickly made it to the center room. Link looked around and saw a rotating circular metal platform. They both saw a Lizafol attempt a jump a them but fell between the spaces and exploded.<br>"Well that was random." Vaati and Link stared for a minute, and then broke out in laughter  
>"What kind of a lizard thing does that?" Link laughed<br>"I don't know," Vaati chuckled as he nearly keeled over with laughter  
>"So what do we do now?" Link asked, trying to calm his laughter<br>"Well… um…" The mage found it hard to stop laughing.  
>"Are you two okay?" Midna popped out of Link's shadow<br>"You mean, you didn't s that?" Link burst out in uncontrolled laughter  
>"See what? I was sleeping!" Midna demanded but that only caused Link and Vaati to laugh more.<br>"That… lizard… thing…" Vaati tried to say between laughs, "jumped… and… fell…"  
>"You're joking," Midna stared as she started to snicker, "WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"<br>The three laughed hysterically for almost thirty minutes until it was getting hard to breathe. Link almost thought he was going to cry due to the amount of laughter. Vaati almost had to wipe a few tears himself. As soon as the three regained control over themselves, Midna returned to Link's shadow and Link began to ask Vaati questions again.  
>"So what do we do now?" Link asked<br>"Simple," Vaati smirked, "we just jump at the right time onto a moving platform bellow."  
>"YOU MEAN WHAT KILLED THE LIZARD?" Link shrieked in horror<br>"No, no," Vaati assured, "much harder than just jumping and falling, it's jumping and falling at the right time."  
>"NO WAY," Link objected, "I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT!"<br>"It wasn't a request," Vaati laughed as he threw Link over his shoulder. Link proceeded to kick and scream like a spoiled child as Midna popped out just to laugh at him. Vaati was able to land a jump onto one of the platforms and set Link next to him, who after being released, clung to the chain in the center.  
>"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" Link screamed<br>"Hmmm, consider it pay back." Vaati smiled manically  
>"Pay back?" Link stared, "For what?"<br>"For making me ride on the same horse as you." Vaati laughed  
>"But that was a long time ago." Link protested<br>"It was two days ago!" Vaati glared  
>"Right," Link said, "So then, what do we need to do here?"<br>"Well," Vaati replied, "You wait on the platform while I go get a key."  
>"Like usual," Link rolled his eyes as the mage ran in and out of the next room.<br>"Now what?" Link glared,  
>"One," Vaati said, "You're going to stop looking at me like that, and two, we're going to go into that room."<br>"Which one," Link stared as Vaati pointed to the room he didn't go in, "Ah."  
>The two proceeded into the next room and went back under water to get to the mini boss. With Vaati punching their way threw the rock that blocked their path, and reached an opening that lead to a watery circular room. As Link and Vaati made it into the room, the area which they had come from was suddenly sealed off, though Link was the only one who noticed because Vaati was busy regaining air. The mage took out his cape and decided to wipe his hair out a bit. Being too lazy to put it back, Vaati put on the cape once more and inspected the room. The water was shallow, a foot at most, though, Vaati had a strange feeling about this room.<br>"Link, "Vaati said, "Notice anything, I don't know, out of the ordinary?"  
>"Not really, why" Link asked<br>"I just get a strange feeling that…" Before Vaati could finish his sentence a giant, deku toad almost fell on him.  
>"OH DEAR FARORE!" Link shrieked, "IT'S RAINING FROGS!"<br>"Link," Vaati face palmed himself, "You're an idiot."  
>"THAT DOESN'T MATTER," Link proceeded to scream, "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE ANYWAYS!"<br>"WILL YOU STOP YELLING?" Vaati demanded  
>"WHY DON'T YOU STOP YELLING?" Link shot back but before he knew it, he was swallowed by the deku toad<br>"Link, now is not the time to get swallowed by a giant frog!" Vaati barked  
>"HELP!" Link screamed as Vaati walked over to the toad's stomach, took out his sword, and sliced it open causing Link to spill out with a chest.<br>"Happy now?" Vaati spat  
>"Yeah but I think we should run…" Link said<br>"Why…" Vaati stared at him  
>"Because we have about three seconds until the frog explodes…" Link replied as he and Vaati made a break for the other side of the room with the chest and watched the deku toad explode<br>"You know," Vaati stared at the toad guts around to room, "I'm beginning to think that thing was a toad and not a frog."  
>"Same thing," Link shrugged, "Now to find out what's inside this chest."<br>Link opened it to find a clawshot, and strangely enough, a note attached to it.  
>"Hey, there's a note!" Vaati said as he picked the note off and read it out loud. It said….<p>

…. Dear Hero….  
>I know I will be dead long after you get this, but I found this item wandering around the temple. As you can see I tweaked it to be more efficient. I hope it proves useful in whatever new quest comes your way.<br>Yours Truly,  
>C.<p>

"Who's C?" Link stared at the note  
>"…" Vaati remained silent<br>"Vale, you okay?" Link asked  
>"Huh," Vaati said, "Oh, yeah."<br>"Well do you know who C. is?"  
>"… No…" Vaati thought about it.<br>"Oh well, we should probably get going," Link sighed  
>"Yes, you should," Said Midna from Link's shadow, "Wouldn't want to keep my fused shadow waiting."<br>"Thank you misses obvious." Link groaned as the left the room.

XXXXXXX

Link and Vaati proceeded out and through to the next water blocked room to activate it's water system. In the room there were various pillars and dormant platforms. Vaati examined the room and then turned to Link.  
>"I need to borrow the clawshot." Vaati said<br>"MY CLAWSHOT!" Link jolted  
>"Then you can do this." Vaati sighed as Link looked at the room in fear<br>"TAKE IT, TAKE THE CLAWSHOT!" Link squealed as he handed the mage the claw shot. Vaati aimed and he was off, leaving Link to cower in a corner. Moments later the gears started turning and long after that, Vaati jumped down in front of Link.  
>"Wow that was easy…" Vaati laughed<br>"For you…" Link glared, "At least now all we have to do is find the boss key…"  
>"You mean this?" Vaati held the key between two fingers as he held a triumphant smile<br>"Let's just go…" Link groaned as Vaati and Midna snickered a bit.

XXXXXXX

As they entered the boss room, Link was puzzled as to why there was only a small room with a large hole in the ground.  
>"Jump…" Vaati said as he stuffed his cape back in the bag around his shoulder<br>"WHAT!" Link screamed, "ARE YOU CRAZY?"  
>"More than likely," Vaati replied as he pushed Link in before jumping himself.<br>As they fell, the two were caught by water. Link started splashing like crazy trying to find a way out.  
>"Link, there's no use floating around," Midna said as she popped out of his shadow, "There's no going back up now, the only thing you can do is dive."<br>"Link, this is the last fused shadow," Vaati said, "All we need to do is get it and everything can go back to the way it was."  
>"I hate it when you're right," Link muttered<br>"Then you must hate a lot," Vaati and Link laughed  
>The two started swimming to the bottom as the air bubble around Vaati's head reappeared. Midna was getting suspicious but didn't care at the moment, she was about to get her life back. As they reached the bottom, they noticed a tentacle.<br>"Is that it?" Link asked when suddenly, more tentacles appeared and soon, from under the sand popped the mouth of Morpheel.  
>"You just had to say that, didn't you?" Vaati moaned<br>"RUN AWAY!" Link screamed in horror  
>"Link," Vaati slapped him, "We're under water, you're an idiot!"<br>"Well then do I scream "swim away" or something?" Link barked but was soon grabbed by one of Morpheel's tentacles and swallowed.  
>"SHIT!" Vaati screamed as he went in after Link, slicing through one of Morpheel's teeth, reaching in, and grabbing Link before he could be digested, all the while cutting off the tentacle Morpheel's eye was and stabbing it's tooth through it. Link and Vaati swam away as Morpheel's eye returned to it and it started shaking in pain.<br>"Not so tough now, are you, you freaky fish?" Link laughed triumphantly when suddenly, from out of the ground, came a giant, eel like creature, long enough to go across Castle Town, wide enough to fill half of Castle Town.  
>Vaati quickly grabbed Link by the neck and started slapping him screaming, "SHUT UP!" Vaati then, examined the fish and noticed the eye as a weak spot.<br>"We need to aim the clawshot at the eye." Vaati said as Link started to regain his balance.  
>"You mean like this?" Link aimed at the eye and accidentally fired, causing him to be pulled to it.<br>"LINK, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME," Vaati screamed, "USE YOUR SWORD TO SRIKE THE EYE!"  
>Link took the advice and started to slice at the eye, causing Morpheel to start going crazy in attempt to shake Link off. In the attempt Link dropped his sword and soon lost his grip. The fish then hit Link with its tail, knocking him into one of the pillars in the watery arena, knocking Link unconscious as well. Vaati had to step in, and with no clawshot, this was no easy task. Vaati followed the fish closely, until his was in range. Then he grabbed hold of on of the spiny fins as support. Vaati started climbing towards to eye of the fish until he was in slicing range. Drawing his sword, Vaati, with one plunge, stabbed directly through the center of the eye and cut the eye in half. Blinded, the fish swam around violently, shaking the mage off, until it finally, hit into a side of the round wall, causing the water to recede. With the water gone, Morpheel exploded into pieces of Twilight that soon reformed into the last fused shadow. With Link unconscious, the fused shadow floated into Vaati's hands. Midna popped out of Link's shadow and went over to Vaati and grabbed the shadow out of his hands.<br>"DON'T TOUCH IT!" She screamed, "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S POWER COULD DO TO YOU!"  
>"It's not like I chose to, it usually floats in Link's hands!" Vaati replied<br>"Whatever, I got the last fused shadow, so I'm fine," Midna said, "Now don't resent me for all I've put you two through I NEED this thing."  
>"And now I can get back to what I was doing," Vaati sighed<br>"Besides, we have to do something about Zant," Midna continued, ignoring Vaati's comment, "the one who thinks he's the king of shadows."  
>"…King of Twili…" Vaati mumbled<br>"His power is false one," Midna continued to ignore the mage, "I'll prove it using these."  
>Good, you'll take Zant while I go after Ganondorf. / Vaati laughed in his head  
>"So, I've done everything I've needed to," Midna sighed, "Sorry for dragging you all over the place with me."<br>"I chose to come with you two, remember, back in the dungeon, when I said I knew a way out and followed you two to Link's village," Vaati reminded, "I helped you two out of my own free will."  
>"Yeah," Midna smiled as she opened a portal, "Can you wake up green bean so we can go?"<br>Vaati nodded as he walked over to where Link was and splashed some water in his face.  
>"Hey, fur ball, get up," Vaati snickered<br>"I'm not a wolf though," Link opened his eyes wearily  
>"I know, but a reminder doesn't hurt," Vaati smirked as he helped Link up, "besides, we got the last fused shadow, its over."<br>"Yeah," Link smiled  
>"It's been nice knowing you," Vaati held his hand out to shake goodbye, but Link gave him a hug instead<br>"I'm going to miss you two," Link said  
>"I'm not dying, we could see each other again sometime," Vaati smirked as Link stopped hugging him<br>"Okay," Link sighed, "this has been fun; I just can't believe it's over."  
>"Oh well," Vaati waved good bye as he and Link got to the portal, "See you around."<br>"Ready to go?" Midna asked as they both nodded, "I guess… this is goodbye then."  
>"I guess it is," Link sighed<br>"We'll see each other again someday," Vaati said, "but for now this is goodbye."  
>"Yeah…" Midna smiled as she teleported them to Lanayru Spring. As Link and Vaati turned around to leave they ran into an unlikely visitor…<br>Zant…


	15. Chapter 15

/No, it couldn't be…/

Chapter 15  
>Sealed Fates:<p>

"So you're Zant, eh?" Vaati scowled, suddenly the guardian spirit Lanayru came from the waters and the spring illuminated. Zant enforced a magical barrier throwing Link and Lanayru back. Vaati drew his blade… and so did Zant. The clashing of swords continued as Zant tried to fend of the mage while Link and Lanayru watched helplessly, they could not move. Zant was losing; he couldn't beat Vaati's strength. Soon, Zant's sword broke and he jumped backwards.  
>"My god told me about you… Vaa…" Zant was interrupted by a sword dashing at him, he blocked with a new sword.<br>"Watch your tongue, Zant." Vaati hissed,  
>"So you haven't told them," Zant laughed as the chatter of swords continued<br>"There's nothing to tell!" Vaati barked  
>"Oh, there's plenty to tell." Zant snickered but was only met by more force on Vaati's part. Unable to find an alternative, Zant tried a transformation curse, but was unsuccessful. He threw any magic attack at Vaati he could, but none prevailed. Zant was taken back when Vaati gave him a heavy blow to the arm holding the sword. Enraged, Zant tried one final spell… the death orb. Readying it in his hands, he was in firing range, when suddenly, Mitra intervened. He attacked Zant with a rage of furry, no one could make out what was going on until the shot fired…<br>And Mitra was dead.  
>"No…" Vaati gasped under his teeth<br>"Useless bird," Zant laughed until caught by the mage's furry. Vaati did a flying spin attack and restarted their battle. Zant used magic to summon two swords in each hand. Zant resorted to magic attacks as sword upon sword broke. He threw every spell up his sleeve at Vaati, but none worked. Vaati landed many blows, cutting Zant's side, leg, back, and nearly breaking his helmet. Spells ranged from scratching spells to stoning spells, yet still, nothing. Zant finally readied and threw another death orb. Vaati was able to block part of it with his sword, but was hit and knocked unconscious. Before slipping, Vaati saw Zant steal away the spirit's light, turning it to twilight, and summoning Midna. The last thing he heard was Midna say, "Zant."

XXXXXXX

At mentioning his name, Midna was restrained in mid-air by Zant's magic. As she struggled Zant stole the three fused shadows the group worked hard to get.  
>"Did you honestly mean to take an ancient and withered power like this and turn it against me?" Zant said, "You are a foolish traitor, Midna."<br>"Hah, you're the only traitor, Zant!" Midna hissed back  
>"Hmm, why do you defy your king?" Zant asked<br>"My KING?" Midna barked, "You, who do nothing but abuse the magic of our tribe? You must be joking!"  
>"How dare you?" Zant screamed, "Are you implying that my power is… our old magic? Now THAT is a joke!"<br>/What?/ Midna questioned in her mind but was soon tossed to the ground  
>"This power is granted to me by my god!" Zant hissed, "It is the magic of the King of Twilight, and you WILL respect it!"<br>As Midna looked back, Link awoken to see Zant, and attempted to attack, but was thrown back and knocked unconscious again. A dark spell was emplaced in his head as Midna went to see if he was okay. As she looked next to them, she saw Vaati was unconscious. All she caught was a fleeting glimpse before she was pulled next to Zant. He lifted up a small part of his mask revealing his mouth.  
>"My Midna… Did you forget?" He smirked, "That beast was one of the light dwellers who oppressed our people."<br>/No, he, he helped me…/ Midna resisted  
>"No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world." Zant tried to persuade, "You cannot consort with their kind!"<br>/Someone… help…/ Midna struggled  
>"But if we could make their world ours, Midna… Light and darkness can meet at last." Zant continued, "Our tribe will take back their realm… and sweet darkness will blot out this harsh light!"<br>/N-no… Vale would say o-otherwise…/ Midna thought  
>"And that, Midna, is why…" Zant leaned closer, "I need you."<br>/You… don't…/ Midna resisted  
>"Not for me, but for all of our people… Lend me your power" Zant tempted, but Midna struggled free and went back over to Link and Vaati. Zant frowned, unable to sway her.<br>"So be it…" Zant scowled, "I will return you to the light world you covet!"  
>Midna was suspended over the water and Zant let the light return to the spirit. Looking over at Midna, sensing a shadow presence like with Zant, the intensive light burned away the shadows on her body. Midna screamed in horror and agony, her life was slipping. A strange force, however, proceeded to warp Link and Midna away from the spring. In a flash they were gone, leaving Zant… as well as Vaati.<p>

XXXXXXX

-

"Hey… can I play?" Asked a seven year old, red eyed, Minish.  
>"And let a freak like you dominate the playground, don't make me laugh." Mocked a young Minish boy of the same age, he went by the name of Saisiri, and the other, with the red eyes, pale skin, lavender hair, and T shaped birthmark, was Vaati.<br>"Yeah, no weirdoes like you." Laughed one of the Minish girls  
>"What did I ever do to you guys?" Vaati asked<br>"You're a freak," Said Saisiri as he pushed Vaati, "And freaks don't belong in this world!"  
>"But…" Vaati was unable to finish the sentence<br>"Why don't you just go and kill yourself," tormented Saisiri, "Like your parents did because you were born!"  
>Vaati, with teeth clenched, pushed Saisiri. A fight broke out, Saisiri with Vaati in a headlock, punching him in the stomach repeatedly. Vaati couldn't take it anymore and proceeded to punch Saisiri in the eye, causing him to fall backwards, crying, and release Vaati. At the sound of his cries, a teacher rushed over to Saisiri's aid.<br>"Vaati, go to the principles office, NOW!" She screamed as Vaati ran towards the office. He was let in to see the principle and soon Saisiri joined them.  
>"Now, Saisiri, please tell me what happened." Said the principle<br>"Well…" Saisiri sobbed, "I asked Vaati if he wanted to play, but he just got mad and started pushing me…"  
>"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Vaati shouted in rage<br>"Vaati, calm down!" Barked the principle, "Saisiri, continue."  
>"I told him to stop, but he didn't and he started to threaten me," Saisiri lied, "He said he was going to stab me and my friends and then he was going to set fire to the school and when I told him I was going to tell the teacher, he punched me."<br>"HE'S THE ONE WHO ATTACKED ME!" Vaati screamed, "I WANTED TO PLAY BUT HE SAID I WAS A FREAK AND ATTACKED ME!"  
>"VAATI, YOU'RE SUSPENDED!" The principle yelled, "LEAVE AND DON'T COME BACK FOR TEN SCHOOL DAYS!"<br>Vaati rushed out of their screaming in fury, he rushed over to an old stick that was planted in the ground and kicked it once, for that was all it took for it do break.

-

The first thing Vaati noticed when he woke was the rain on his face, then the sound of metal. Opening his eyes he realized Zant had chained his arms and legs to a metal ball and he was being dragged to the edge of the front of the spring. His eyes widened when he was suddenly thrown into the lake. All he saw before sinking was a smile on Zant's face as he warped away.  
>It was now a struggle for survival. Vaati found that an enchantment had been place on the chains to disable his magic. When reaching the bottom, Vaati struggled to get over to the metal chains around his legs and slammed the cuffs into the restraint around them, breaking them both, and fracturing a bone or two. Vaati then readied a red orb in his hands and crushed. From that he held his hands down towards the ground and with the power of fire he propelled himself up and in front of the spring. He only used enough fire to inject himself up, not enough to fry the water. He coughed out puddles of water. He tried to breathe once again before lifting his head. The first thing he saw was his sword balancing on the side of the bridge. He quickly stumbled over to it. He picked it up and placed it back in his bag when suddenly, he remembered.<br>"Midna…" Vaati whispered, "… Zant…"  
>He jumped back up and Darted towards the rocky wall near the Bridge. Though as he rushed, someone saw him… Someone who shouldn't have…<br>/No, it couldn't be…/ Thought a dark figure hiding behind the lookout, /He's dead… right? /

XXXXXXXX

Running through the field Vaati was in sight of the Castle… until a blast of fire nearly got him. He turned around to see an Argorok. Sword in hand, another battle broke. The clang of metal sounded as Vaati took on the Dragon. In a race for time Vaati threw a large gust of wind his way and knocked him high in the sky, too far to see.  
>Though, all too soon the dragon came back… and clawed him, one large gash, 9 inches long, 2 inches wide, 2 centimeter deep, going across diagonal like. Vaati, in reaction, sent Argorok flying into the air, nearly into space. He clutched his chest, blood running on to his hand.<br>"It's just a scratch…" Vaati told himself as he pinned his cape around to hide the wound and headed towards the castle… he knew he felt their presence around there. As he made it towards the entrance, he saw them…  
>"Midna! Link!" He screamed and got their attention. As he ran over, the castle was sealed. Around the castle was a giant crystal like encasing. They stared at it with hate; they had their ideas on who was responsible.<br>/Ganondorf! / Vaati cursed  
>Zant…/ Midna shook her fist.  
>"What happened?" Vaati mumbled… but no response<br>"Nothing," Link said in a serious tone, "Let's just go."  
>"O-okay," Vaati hesitated as they walked forward, but Vaati tripped. Midna noticed the blood on his hand,<br>"Take off your cape," Midna said  
>"What…" Vaati stared<br>"This…" She replied as she lifted his cape. Blood; that was the first thing they saw, "Vale… what happened to you?"  
>Vaati was silent for a minute…<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

/What's he hiding? /

Chapter 16  
>Secrets Left Hidden:<p>

"So you were attacked by a moblin throwing thorns?" Midna stared as Vaati removed his cape.  
>"Well it's not like a thorn would throw itself unless it was haunted or something." Vaati laughed as he removed his belt and tunic. Vaati had a slender figure with muscular features, the kind that would have women swooning over them, outside of the bloody gash across his chest. Vaati sat down, tore a small square of his cape, dipped it in water he kept in a bottle, and wiped away the blood leaving a gash with blood pools slowly rising. He then reached for his belt, putting it back on and taking out a roll of thread and needle. He began stitching the wound until it was almost completely closed. Then, he ripped a line of his cape to even out the square side bite, and tied it around the wound. Then he got out a purple colored thread and sewed the rip in his tunic until it looked like there never was one.<br>"Why didn't you stitch up your other wounds before?" Midna asked  
>"Well…" Vaati said, "I was either too weak, too busy, or I didn't have the needle and thread."<br>"Oh…" Midna nodded, "So where did you learn to sew like that?"  
>"Um," Vaati tapped his chin, "I believe it was some time back when I was a kid, though my memory of it is pretty foggy so I don't remember it too well."<br>"Shouldn't we be going?" Link snapped getting their attention  
>"We already lost Mitra and Zelda," Midna hissed, "We don't need to lose Vale too!"<br>"What happened to Zelda?" Vaati asked  
>"…" The two were silent for a minute<br>"When Zant came…" Midna was the first to break the silence, "He exposed me to light…"  
>"I took her to Zelda," Link continued in a serious tone, "And she sacrificed herself for Midna."<br>"… I'm sorry," Vaati was quiet… eerily silent… almost as if lost in memories.  
>"Sorry for what?" Link broke the quiet, "Sorry that Zelda's gone or sorry YOU WEREN'T THERE TO DO SOMETHING!"<br>"ARE YOU FORGETTING I WAS UNCONSCIOUS," Vaati hissed back  
>"Link!" Midna barked, "That's enough!"<br>"Oh no," Link growled, "I want to know WHY HE WASN'T THERE TO HELP! WHAT'S THE HOLD UP, OR ARE YOU JUST THAT LAZY AND STUPID!"  
>"YOU DON'T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT ME!" Vaati screamed, "YOU'RE SO SELFISH AND CONCEDED! NOT ONCE HAVE YOU EVER NEEDED TO JUST GET OUT ALIVE AND UNTIL YOU HAVE YOU SHOULD SHUT UP BEFORE I TAKE THIS NEEDLE AND THREAD AND SHUT YOU UP FOR GOOD!"<br>Vaati then grabbed his tunic and stormed off screaming "GOOD NIGHT!"  
>His reaction shocked both Link and Midna. Though it was true they didn't know what happened after they were teleported to the field but they had no idea what he meant by get out alive. Midna had a feeling it had to do with the past he's been keeping cryptic.<br>/ What's he hiding? / Midna thought; they were not sure that what he said was something from his hidden past. Vaati walked off over to the cliff side arena, he stuffed his tunic in the bag he kept with him. When he got there he was met with many moblins and such. Grabbing his sword he killed them all in a matter of seconds, like a massacre, bodies of his attackers hit the floor. Slouching on a pillar he looked up at the sky, the moon had just begun to show and stars started becoming more visible.  
>"Heh," Vaati mumbled, "Stupid hero, you don't even know my real name, let alone what I actually am,"<br>He started to fall asleep quickly, wrapping his cape around himself and using his bag as a pillow, though his slow descent into slumber was interrupted when Midna came in.  
>"V-Vale…" She tested to se if he was awake<br>"What is it?" he groaned  
>"Oh, well I just wanted to make sure you were okay…" Midna was quickly interrupted<br>"I'm fine, I just need some sleep." Vaati assured  
>"O-okay, I guess… night," She said as she waved and floated off.<br>/There's something bothering him, / Midna thought, /and I'm going to find out what. /

XXXXXXX

Vaati once again found himself chained in endless darkness from which he last saw his tempter.  
>"I see we're still alive…" It said.<br>"I see you've taken back to that demonic form…" Vaati snarled  
>"No need to hate me," it snickered, "I am you of course."<br>"Hah," Vaati laughed, "Hardly!"  
>"How so," asked the eyeball curiously<br>"If you were truly me you wouldn't think you could control me," Vaati hissed, "and you would know why I won't attack the castle."  
>"But do you know why you won't attack the castle?" it smirked<br>"I MADE IT OUT ALIVE, ISN'T THAT GOOD ENOUGH?" Vaati barked, "I TRY TO TAKE OVER HYRULE A FIRST TIME, WHAT HAPPENS? I GET TRAPPED IN A SWORD OF EMPTY NOTHINGNESS WITH NOTHING AT ALL! JUST CENTRIES TO HELP ME LOSE MY SANITY UNTIL I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT SANE EVEN FUCKING IS! BREAK FREE AND TRY A SECOND TIME? HAH, NOT A CHANCE! THIRD TIMES THE FUCKING CHARM? I END UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A FOREST TO WITNESS THE DESTRUCTION OF MY DAMN HOME! LEFT WITH NOTHING! NOTHING TO DO BUT DIE! NOT ONLY DID I SCREW UP MY OWN LIFE BUT I BROUGHT SO MANY PEOPLE DOWN WITH ME! WHY? BECAUSE I'M NOTHING MORE THAN A SELFISH PRICK!"  
>"See, now was that so bad," giggled the demon, "but you're still going to take over Hyrule."<br>"ARE YOU SHITTING ME?" Vaati seethed with pure rage, "I WILL NOT BE CONTROLED, NOT BY YOU OR ANYONE! IF I GO BACK INTO THAT CRAP SWORD ARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE? IS ANYONE GOING TO BE THERE? FUCK NO!"  
>"Oh but Vaati…" The eyeball failed again when the mage started screaming<br>"DON'T 'Vaati' ME!" Vaati screamed, "VAATI DIED LONG AGO WHEN HE PUT ON THAT STUPID CAP! WHEN HE GOT TRAPPED IN THAT FUCKING SWORD! WHEN HE WATCHED HIS HOME CRUMBLE! HE'S BEEN DEAD FOR AGES! LEAVING NOTHING BUT THIS SHELL BEHIND TO PICK UP AND REPIECE THE REMAINS! IF YOU THINK ANYTHING YOU'RE SAYING IS GETTING ME TO CHANGE MY FUCKED UP MIND YOU'RE GRAVELY MISTAKEN!"  
>"Then I guess you HAVE to died," Smiled the flying eyeball as it readied a claw<br>"YOU DIE FIRST!" Vaati yelled loud enough that if he was awake the entire world could hear him. Breaking out of his shadowy restraints and shoving his left arm through the eye of his demonic counterpart before it could kill him. Lifting the arm, he threw the tempter violently. Walking over, Vaati's eye's held nothing but rage and insanity. The now grounded demonic eye clenched a lid over the wound, blood pouring from it.  
>"Why…" asked the shut eye<br>"Because I'm alive…" Vaati said with a cold expression and tone as he tore the eyeball in half, "And I plan on leaving here that way…"

"Heh, you win…" It laughed through the burning remains, "but you'll forever be conflicted, I know, because as long as you live, Vaati lives too, as much as you wish differently, no matter what you do to try and change it, you are the wind mage, so run, run from yourself until it eats away your soul completely, it will make no difference, you are and shall always be, Vaati…"  
>The last thing Vaati heard before waking again was the triumphant evil laughter of what claims himself as Vaati. Red eyes flashed open in the middle of the night, lavender bangs were brushed from his face. Sitting up, Vaati leaned against the pillar he was next to, staring at the wall, lost in thought about what he just heard. A sharp pain tugged on his chest, quickly reminding him why he needed to sleep. Vaati rested his head once more and fell asleep, without a dream…<p>

XXXXXXX

"Wake up." Midna said to the mess of purple hair.  
>"Ugh… five more minutes…" Vaati said; his face in the pillow bag.<br>"You said that thirty minutes ago!" Midna barked, "GET UP!"  
>"This is the most sleep I've gotten in days…" Vaati mumbled<br>"So you should be well rested," Midna rolled her eyes  
>"Five more minutes…" Vaati repeated<br>"Ugh…" Midna groaned as she threw a rock at him,  
>"Ouch… that was uncalled for," Vaati said as he sat up and brushed his fingers through his hair, making it look presentable again in five seconds.<br>"Get dressed, we have sword to find." Midna said as she walked off.  
>"Sword?" Vaati said as he threw on his tunic, belt, and cape and caught up<br>"The Master Sword," Link said with a serious tone  
>"What happened to make you so serious and irritable?" Vaati asked<br>"The princess, moron," Link hissed  
>"Link, now would be a good time to SHUT UP!" Midna screamed at the wolf<br>"MAKE ME!" Link growled as he and Midna got into a fight  
>"BREAK IT UP YOU TWO!" Vaati yelled as he separated them both, "Now is not the time to be fighting!"<br>"And what do you care?" Link hissed  
>"What do I care?" Vaati stared, "Is that a joke?"<br>"He's done all the work, Link" Midna said, "He cares more than you!"  
>"Then why doesn't he pull out the Master Sword," Link screamed, "INSTEAD OF ME!"<br>Midna looked at Vaati for a second, who was slowly backing away, a small glimpse of fear in he eye, but nothing easily seen.  
>"Well," Link stared<br>"… That sword," Vaati spoke, "Can only be pulled out by one with a pure heart…"  
>"So what makes me more eligible than you?" Link asked<br>"You remember those triangles on your hand?" Link shook his head at the mage's question, "That's your answer."  
>"But you don't seem to have a bad heart…" Midna said<br>"You'd be surprised," Vaati laughed as he began walking forward, "Now let's get to that sword before you two go at each others throats."  
>"Tell that to little miss opposable thumbs here," Link laughed as he caught up.<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

"Who knew that Vaati the Great was alive, eh?"

Chapter 17  
>The Game, An Evil Heart:<p>

"Ow! OUCH! STOP IT!" Link screamed as he ran away from the attacking bird merchant of Faron woods. All the while Midna and Vaati were standing there, staring…  
>"Remind me why the hero stole red potion?" Vaati asked<br>"Beats me…" Midna replied  
>"Thief!" Screamed Trill<br>"I bet five rupees the battle's going to end in two minutes or less…" Vaati smirked  
>"Deal," Midna nodded<br>"HEY! TRILL!" Vaati screamed, "I'LL PAY FIFTY RUPEES FOR THAT STOLEN POTION!"  
>"Pay up…" Trill said as he flew over and Vaati handed him fifty rupees…<br>"I hate you…" Midna growled  
>"I know," Vaati smirked, "Now, in the words of Trill, pay up…"<br>"Ha, ha," Midna said sarcastically as she chucked the rupee at his head, "paid"  
>"Ow…" Vaati rubbed his head, "Isn't once enough?"<br>"No, sorry," Midna and Vaati laughed as Link stared  
>"Are we going to go or what?" He demanded<br>"Jeez, Mr. Seriousness," Midna mocked  
>"Can't take a break?" Vaati teased<br>"Hyrule is a stake!" Link shot back  
>"It's not that bad," Midna said<br>"Well what could they be doing with Zelda?" Link screamed  
>"Probably in a crystal somewhere under close watch sleeping like a dead person," Vaati laughed<br>"And you would know this because…" Link stared  
>"… you ever read the history books?" Vaati asked, "That's what always happens…"<br>"Stupid know-it-all…" Link mumbled  
>"Let's just get to the sword…" Vaati said when suddenly a monkey hopped from around a stone wall, some puppets were after her. Quickly Vaati drew his sword and killed the wooden marionettes without effort. At the sight of Link, the monkey jumped up and down in joy.<br>"Aren't you the prince that rescued me before?" She asked  
>"Yes, but we have no time for that," Link replied, "Why were they chasing you?"<br>"I-I don't know," She said, "I was in a meadow over that ridge and th-they just came out of nowhere…"  
>"Thanks," Vaati said as he headed in the direction the monkey came from<br>"Excuse me," Link said as he ran after the mage…

XXXXXXX

Vaati got to the forest some time before Link, but found someone who he didn't expect. Skull Kid stared at him for some time, looking very confused…  
>"What?" Vaati snapped<br>"Holy Hyrule, you're real!" Skull Kid said, but surprise soon turned smug, "Who knew that Vaati the Great was alive, eh?"  
>"H-how do you know that name?" Vaati demanded<br>"I didn't," Skull teased, "You just told me…"  
>"Don't screw with me…" Vaati hissed<br>"Awww, but that's no fun," Skull smirked, "besides, people as old as me and you need to have fun sometime am I right?"  
>"What is that supposed to mean?" Vaati glared<br>"Oh come on," Skull snickered, "You can't tell me killing wasn't fun for you, eh, _Vaati_?"  
>"Shut up!" Vaati barked, "That name doesn't mean anything…"<br>"Oh right," Skull rolled his eyes, "And you never burned all those villages and killed all those people either?"  
>"I said SHUT UP!" Vaati screamed as he grabbed Skull Kid by the neck<br>"Can't… breathe…" Skull gasped, shortly after, Link and Midna rushed in.  
>"Vale!" Midna gasped, "Let him go!"<br>Vaati dropped the imp looking over at Link and Midna in shock and rage.  
>"Too bad that I know where to get the Master Sword," Skull Kid laughed as he stared to run through the forest.<br>"GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE YOU STUPID IMP!" Vaati screamed as he ran after Skull Kid, and Link and Midna ran after them. Running after them was like a wild goose chase, not only did they have to figure out where they ran off to; they had to fight their way through puppets. There were times when they were headed in one direction and suddenly they saw the two heading in a different direction. They finally caught up to them in an ancient arena and Vaati was surrounded by puppets. Drawing his sword he killed them all, acting like a spinning top, and then sliced the stone that Skull Kid was on, causing the imp to fall into the mages arms. Quickly Vaati held Skull by the neck up against one of the walls.  
>"Where's that stupid sword?" Vaati demanded<br>"Vale, Enough!" Midna ordered as Link bit the arm strangling Skull, causing the mage to release the imp and toss Link off  
>"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Vaati snapped<br>"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" Link screamed  
>"Jeez, keep your friend on his leash," Skull coughed, referring to the purple sorcerer<br>"WHAT?" Vaati hissed, "TELL US WHERE THAT SWORD IS BEFORE I BREAK YOU LIKE A TOOTHPICK!"  
>"Alright, Mr. Crazy psychopath," Skull mocked as he snapped his fingers and revealed a secret passage way, "Through there,"<br>"Thank you," Midna said as they walked towards it.  
>"See you later, <em>Vale<em>," Skull snickered as he disappeared  
>"Why that little…" Vaati cursed as he continued walking<p>

XXXXXXX

As they reached the sacred ruins, they encountered more Shadow Beasts. Killing them quickly Vaati once again unlocked another warp point. Link looked around; expecting there to be a sword somewhere, but nothing was found.  
>"That stupid imp lied to us." Link cursed, but Vaati knew better. The sorcerer looked down and saw a stone slab with the Triforce symbol on it. He searched through his bag and found his Violin. Taking out his bow he made sure the instrument was tuned. Once he was sure it was tuned, he played a song, an ancient one lost through the generations. The passageway opened after the song was played.<br>"You play the violin?" Midna asked  
>"I play many instruments," Vaati said, "It happens when you travel."<br>"How did you know that would work?" Midna asked  
>"I read it in a book once…" Vaati replied and they began walking forward towards the stairs.<br>Link went up the stairs quickly but when Vaati tried to enter, some protecting force stopped him. In a flash Vaati was being electrocuted profusely by an unseen barrier.  
>"AAAAAAAHHH!" He screamed in pain as he sunk to the floor<br>"VALE!" Midna screamed as she pushed him away from the barrier, "VALE, CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

-

"AHAHAHAHA" Laughed an evil sorcerer as fire spewed from his hands, "BURN, BURN!"  
>Villagers ran in horror as flames engulfed their homes, luckily no one died that day. In attempt to flee, the villagers ran, but were met with the mage. An insane look upon his face, he created a ring of fire around them and began walking forward.<br>"Not having fun?" He mocked, "ISN'T THIS FUN?"  
>He got no reply, just scared villagers huddling together. Walking toward them, fire in his hand, grinning evilly, something in Vaati snapped, he paused.<br>/What am I doing? / He thought,  
>He stopped grinning, his face dead serious, looking at the faces of his prey.<br>"What?" He snapped, "Any objections?"  
>The villagers just shook their heads, afraid for their wits. He held the fire close to them and stared, with a glare that could kill.<br>"Really?" He laughed, "NO ONE OBJECTS?"  
>They all just stared in fear; a few had tears in their eyes as they waited for their fate. The next thing they knew he dispelled the flames. The villagers stared at him with questioning eyes.<br>"Well?" He screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, GO TELL EVERYONE I'M BACK!" He ordered as he held fire in his hand once again, "DO SO BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!"  
>The villagers scattered, scared for their lives. They went door to door looking for help, doing as they were told so as not to get killed.<br>"Never forget the Wind Sorcerer." He mumbled sadly as he flew off…

-


	18. Chapter 18

"Where have you been?"

{ } Means Ancient Languages

Chapter 18  
>History Lesson:<p>

"Vale! Wake up!" Midna continued warily, she had been trying to get him up for an hour, constantly checking his pulse.  
>"Vale! C'mon, this isn't funny," She shook him, but something of his fell out of its pocket. It was a book, one that looked very old, and on the stony floor, it looked older. Its color was brown and the spine was strong. She looked over at Vaati to see if he was awake. When she saw he wasn't, she opened it. By the writing on the fist page she could tell this book was bought in Hyrule, but the writing also told her this was a journal, his journal. She read it.<br>"This Journal is Property of-" Midna couldn't make out the name he wrote, it was in an ancient language she couldn't understand.  
>"Hey, Link?" She called the wolf over, "Do you know what this says."<br>Link shook his head. She just shrugged and assumed it said Vale… not suspecting it would say Vaati instead. The next page aroused more suspicion, as it was written in Hylian. It read  
>"To whoever finds this after my death,"<br>Midna was left shocked, she didn't know if he planed to kill himself or if he meant for someone to find this after his death. She continued reading. She could only read the title of each page, the month, and the day, the year and everything else was written in the other language.  
>"September 23rd, Sixteen," Midna read aloud, "March 8th, War, March 13th, Captured… P.S. I've created the perfect Christmas song?"<br>She looked over at the unconscious Sorcerer. Puzzled at this new piece of information was an understatement.  
>Dear Farore Vale,/ Midna thought, /Who are you?/  
>Suddenly Vaati groaned, causing Midna to jolt, close his journal, and put it back. His eyes wearily began to open and he clutched his head.<br>"Vale!" Midna rushed over to him, "Vale, are you okay?"  
>"Nggh…" Vaati groaned, "Ugh… I've been electrocuted at high voltage before… but that was brutal…"<br>"What happened?" Midna asked him  
>"I'm… I don't know…" Vaati lied<br>{Wind Sorcerer} Said one of the statues… though Vaati knew Link and Midna couldn't understand.  
>{Yes…} Vaati replied, {I was just electrocuted… question is… what I can do to stop that?}<br>{In order to pass you must leave the item that you hold dearest in our care with the knowledge that if you hold an evil intent towards the contents within this dome, your life and this object will be forfeit PERMANENTLY!} Said the other stone statue  
>{Anything else?} Vaati asked<br>{Yes,} Said the same stone statue {while doing so you must state your name and vow that you are going in there with the purest of intent}  
>{That it?} Vaati stared<br>{Yes.} Replied both statues  
>{Alright…} Vaati prepared as he set a red jewel down, {I, Vaati Nociri, vow that I am entering this sacred temple with pure intent only.}<br>{Very well,} Said both statues {You may pass}  
>Vaati walked up to where he was before and stuck his hand through… it worked. He was able to walk through, not getting electrocuted, not being strangled, not being hung upside down and called Lucy.<br>/Dear Nayru,/ Vaati thought, /The Lucy one was the weirdest battle I've ever had with a blob monster./

[Me: Hey!  
>Vaati: What?<br>Me: You're breaking the 4th Wall!  
>Vaati: Did I tell the people reading this Hello random computer user! NO!<br>Me: Just shut up and let me write my story!  
>Vaati: Fine… but I want a sandwich<br>Me: Make it yourself… and people can still read this, can't they?  
>Vaati: Yup.<br>Me: … Goodbye]

"Hey, Link, hurry up!" Vaati said from the top of the stairs.  
>"Y-yeah…" Link said in shock as he rushed up the stairs.<br>"There it is…" Midna said in woe.  
>"The Master Sword…" Vaati continued, "Well… run up to it Link."<br>Link did as told… but as he reached it… the sword began to glow and suddenly, Midna was through backwards and caught by Vaati who was struggling to stay within the vicinity of the sword. Link began to glow as well and was transformed back into a human. The magic used by Zant to transform him appeared in Midna's hands. The two turned to see Link pull the sword out and hold it high like a Hero… causing the fog to cease.  
>"The sword chose you as its master." Midna stared in awe<br>"Um… Midna," Vaati waved his hand in front of her, "Magic crystal thingy, Link can become a wolf anytime he wants? Good plan?"  
>"Huh, right…" Midna remembered, "I was thinking about disposing this thing but… maybe we should go with what Vale said."<br>"…" Link was posing still… completely ignoring them until… "I got the Master, I got the Master Sword, I'm totally awesome!" Link sang and danced repeatedly… until Vaati smacked him in the face  
>"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT SINGING?" Vaati barked<br>"Not… to… sing… ugh…" Link collapsed  
>"Finally," Midna said<br>"Let's just teleport in front of Castle Town," Vaati moaned as Midna did as instructed.

XXXXXXX

"Hey… green bean, get up!" said a familiar voice  
>"Nggh…" Link groaned as he lifted his head to see he was on the bridge in front of Castle Town, "Ow, why'd you hit me?"<br>"I hit you 'cause you were singing," Vaati smirked, "You got a letter from Telma, she wants you to go to her bar again."  
>"Fine," Link whined, "but if she hugs me to death you're a liability."<br>"I can live with that," Vaati laughed as Link walked off. A few minutes later, Louise came outside and rubbed against Vaati's feet.  
>"You know Shad, Auru, Ashie, and Russell are back?" She asked<br>"Yeah…" Vaati sighed and sat down, "So how'd they take the news?"  
>"Pretty bad…" She replied, "Shad's actually skeptical, refuses to believe you're dead."<br>"Heh, how am I not surprised," Vaati chuckled, "Shad has always been a hard one to fool, I'll give him that."  
>"Oh, and you left some of your books at the bar," Louise informed, "You may want to get them back… preferably the "Hyrule's History, Volume three, Ancient Evils," but it's just a suggestion,"<br>"Meh, I should be fine," Vaati said, "Besides, I ripped out page eight and burned it a long time ago."  
>"Whatever," Louise sighed as she stretched herself out on Vaati's lap, "Wake me up in five minutes… Telma might get worried if I'm out too long."<br>"So I should get you up in thirty minutes?" Vaati smirked  
>"You know me too well…" Louise laughed<br>"I've known you for two years…" Vaati snickered, "and as far as I'm concerned you're the only one who knows I'm Vaati that's still _alive_…"  
>"I know…" She purred, "good night,"<br>"It's two in the afternoon," Vaati stated  
>"Smart-aleck," She mumbled as she drifted into a not so peaceful slumber.<br>XXXXXXX

"Well if it isn't Link," Telma smiled  
>"Hey Telma," Link waved<br>"How've you been honey?" Telma asked but trailed off again, "You know you have good timing I was just talking about you,"  
>"Wel-" Link was cut off by Telma's booming voice<br>"Hey, Everyone! Introduce yourselves!" Telma said to the group around the table in the back, "This handsome young man is the infamous Link!"  
>"H-hello," Link waved timidly<br>"You remember what I said earlier?" Telma questioned, "These are the friends I was talking about."  
>"You mean the ones that fight to keep peace in Hyrule?" Link asked<br>"Exactly honey," She winked, "There were supposed to be more but one went to check on a disturbing turn of events in the western desert, and the other's… well… he's dead… so…"  
>"I'm sorry…" Link said<br>"It's fine," Telma said, "It's fine… but Auru, the one who went to the desert, is an older man and if you happen to meet him, defiantly take the time to talk with him, okay honey?"  
>"I will," Link promised<br>"Good, now relax a bit," Telma said, "You've come all the way down here, c'mon, talk to some of them, they're jolly folks."  
>"Okay," Link said as he headed over to socialize, when one with glasses and red hair holding a book walked up to him.<br>"Hi, I'm Shad," Shad introduced himself, "Nice to meet you Link,"  
>"Hello," Link shook his hand.<br>"I presume Telma's told you about Auru." He said  
>"Yes," Link nodded, "And she said something about one more who died…"<br>"Ah, yes, he worked here as a bartender, a good one at that…" Shad replied, "He was like the bodyguard of the group… he kept this place safe for our meetings…"  
>"How'd he die?" Link asked<br>"Oh, well the guards announced that the beasts ate him…" Shad told, "But I don't believe it, he was too strong to be eaten… or even killed that easily, he's faced worse you know!"  
>"Wow… what was his name?"Link questioned<br>"It was-" Shad was suddenly interrupted  
>"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT THAT SHAD?" Exclaimed Telma, "THERE IS NO NEED GETTING LINK INVOLVED WITH IT!"<br>"Yes Telma…" Shad sighed as Link walked over the angry barmaid.  
>"What's wrong with him telling me?" Link asked<br>"I see no need for you to get involved… he's dead and that's that!" She stated stubbornly, "Now go have a conversation about something else…"  
>"Psst… Link," Shad whispered<br>"Yeah," Link walked over  
>"I might not be able to say much now… but I can give you these," Shad gave Link three books titled: "Hyrule's Guide to Monster Hunting"; "Hyrule's History, Volume three, Ancient Evils"; and "The Law Book of Hyrule, Rules and Regulations". All books look fairly old and were different shade of the same color red.<br>"Thanks," Link said as he tried to decide which book to read first.  
>"Good luck," Shad said as he marked something on Link's map, "Auru should be over here,"<br>"I'll go see him as soon as I can" Link promised as he walked out, but ran into someone unexpected,  
>"Hey, Green guy, keep the door open will 'ya, I'm a very small cat!" Louise meowed, but the only one who could understand her was snoozing in Link's shadow.<br>"Oh, hey, Telma, Louise is back!" Link said as he let Louise in.  
>"Why hello there sweetie," Telma said as she grabbed Louise ad started petting her, "Where have you been?"<br>"Visiting the so called dead," Louise laughed as she fell asleep.

XXXXXXX

Near Gerudo Valley, A shadowy figure reached the cliff connecting it to Lake Hylia, He pushed himself up so that his head could look at its surroundings. Realizing he met his goal he squealed with glee.  
>"Yes! Yes! Finally! After all that! I'm finally he-AAAAAAHHHHHH!" He threw his hands up… forgetting that his hands were the only things keeping him up, and fell back into the water. SPLASH! He popped up from under the crystal blue liquid and began screaming.<br>"FOR THE LOVE OF NAYRU! WHAT THE F-"

To Be Continued


	19. Chapter 19

"YOU MEAN YOU SET HIM FREE?"

| | Means another language

Chapter 19  
>Twilit Fossil Stallord, The Truth Part 1:<p>

"Wake up!" Midna screamed at a mess of purple hair  
>"Five more minutes," Vaati mumbled,<br>"No!" Midna kicked him  
>"Ow!" Vaati moaned, "Ten more minutes!"<br>"No!" Midna slapped his head  
>"Ugh! I'm up! I'm up!" Vaati groaned as he lifted his head<br>"We got some books!" Link cheered  
>"Which books?" Vaati asked<br>"Um… 'Hyrule's Guide to Monster Hunting'; 'Hyrule's History, Volume three, Ancient Evils'; and 'The Law Book of Hyrule, Rules and Regulations' and their all red!" Link smiled  
>"And where, may I ask, did you get them?" Vaati glared<br>"Oh, Shad gave them to me… apparently they belonged to some dead guy." Link shrugged  
>Great… he has my books! / Vaati growled mentally, /Fucking tight wearing hero! /  
>"Hey, Link, don't you think you should, oh I don't know, START READING THEM?" Midna shouted<br>"Hey, that's a good idea!" Link smiled as Midna smacked her face and slapped him  
>Link then sat down, handed Vaati 'Hyrule's Guide to Monster Hunting' and began to read aloud.<br>"Third page Ghirahim… blah, blah, blah, page seven… Hey, this looks interesting, take a look!" Link shoved the book in Vaati's face. To his dismay, the page that looked interesting was his own.  
>"Did you see that, apparently the guy or thing's name was Vaati!" Link continued, "He terrorized Hyrule, burned villages, killed people, etcetera, though page eight is missing"<br>"Hmmmm, that is interesting," Vaati lied, "Did they ever find him-err it?"  
>"It says he died… but some skeptics think he was still alive." Link stated,<br>"Wonder why…" Vaati cursed slightly  
>"They only found a piece of his eye and bloodied wings near Lake Hylian." Link said<br>"Maybe he drowned!" Vaati laughed, "and became fish food!"  
>"Yeah, I mean, look at his size!" Link once again shoved the book in his face.<br>"Wow…" Vaati faked amazement.  
>"WILL YOU TWO JUST GO TO THE FUCKING DESERT ALREADY, THESE BOOKS ARE NOT HELPING?" Midna screamed causing the two to jolt and stand up<br>"Yes Ma'am!" squeaked the two in unison

XXXXXXX

The two entered Lake Hylia around midnight cautiously for reasons only Vaati knows.  
>"So why are we sneaking around?" Link whispered<br>"I have my reasons." Vaati replied, "Now I need a type of binoculars…"  
>"Here you go!" Link handed him a Hawkeye, "I won it off of Malo a while back…"<br>"Thanks…" Vaati said as he used the Hawkeye to zoom in on a familiar blue stone look out. To his relief, the older man at the top was asleep. He returned the Hawkeye to Link before speaking once again.  
>"Alright… tell Fyer you want the Oasis Flight… pay him twenty rupees." Vaati instructed<br>"Okay." Link nodded as he went over to the old man who was dressed in flamboyant pink top and green puffy pants. The man looked like he was in his Eighties but that was most likely due to depression.  
>"Hi," Link said idiotically, "Can I get the Oasis flight?"<br>"Hmmmm…." Fyer gave him a funny look, "If you want that flight you're going to need a special pass,"  
>"How do I get it?" Link questioned<br>"Maybe old Auru can help you find it," The old man hinted pointing to the same tower Vaati was looking at earlier.  
>"Thanks," Link smiled as he headed over to Vaati again<br>"So now you need to wake Auru," Vaati hissed, "Here, wait for my signal, I'll climb up and then you get the Oasis flight, I'm sure there'll be plenty of moblins to clear out while I wait for you."  
>"Okay." Was Link's only obedient response<br>Vaati swam silently towards the wall near Gerudo Desert that the "moblin" had been climbing earlier, though not as discrete as he thought, someone lurking in the shadows of night got their answer to an earlier theory. As he reached the top he realized he didn't tell Link the signal. Mentally slapping himself on the head he silently called over the owl.  
>"Yes," He said<br>"I need you to deliver this note to Link," Vaati said as he took out a small piece of scrap paper and slightly cut his finger to use a writing instrument. He handed it to the owl and pointed out where Link was.  
>"Thank you," Vaati whispered as the owl flew away<br>Link received a note that read

_Now  
>-Vale<em>

Remembering earlier instruction he did as told. All the while Vaati had been able to fend off sandworms, then perching himself on top of what appeared to be an entrance. Looking down at the group of bublins he took out a handful of throwing knives from an unusually small pocket on his belt. With deadly aim he took out every bublin in one shot each. Then he jumped down and retrieved whatever throwing knives he could and set up camp. Then suddenly he heard some bad music, screaming, and a loud thud right next to him.  
>"Nice to see you're alive," Vaati chuckled<br>"W-what is this place?" Link gasped as he looked around, it was so different from what he knew. Under his feet was a barren wasteland full of coarse, merciless sand than stretched on endlessly. The cold, dry air made it seem like he could freeze to death at any given time. This region was obviously unlivable, due to the lack of life that he was surrounded by.  
>"This is Gerudo Desert, or what's left of it." Vaati replied as he started a fire. Link shivered a bit at both the air and the comment. Unnoticing Vaati took the stick fences and laid them down for a space big enough to hold his sleeping bag. He then did the same for Link.<br>"What are you doing?" Link questioned  
>"The ground is colder than the wood, and you <em>don't<em> want to wake up in the morning because your skin is being burned off you." Vaati answered  
>"How did you know that?" Midna asked<br>"I've been in my fair share of deserts." Vaati smirked.  
>"So what are we searching for in here anyways," Link sighed as he sat down.<br>"I think I need to tell you guys a story…" Midna said as she began  
>"You remember what the spirit said about the Fused Shadows?" They both nodded, "What do you think happened to the magic wielders who tried to rule the sacred realm?"<br>/I remember that tale, the Zuna told it to anyone interested that one of the twin Dark Mirrors was used to seal away an evil group and stuck in a Great Colossus under the care of seven guardians./ Vaati thought  
>"They were banished," Midna stated solemnly, "They were chased across the sacred lands of Hyrule and driven into realm by the goddesses."<br>/If only the goddesses would've been that kind to me…/ Vaati sighed  
>"It was another world entirely… the Antithesis of Hyrule, where the sun shines bright," Midna continued, "It's denizens became shadows that could not mingle with the light."<br>/Reminds me of Shadow Link,/ Vaati listened  
>"Eventually, most came to call it the Twilight Realm, and from it, none could return to the world of light…" Midna told, "They were forever doomed to live in the twilight, flitting in the half-light of dusk, mere shadows of Hyrule…"<br>/Still reminds me of Shadow Link,/ Vaati continued  
>"This is the history of the Twili as it has been passed down from our ancestors," Midna stated, "Do you understand what I am?"<br>/A Twili? I knew that much! / Vaati hissed mentally  
>"I am a descendent of the tribe that was banished to the Twilight Realm!" Midna barked and then calmed, "I was a peaceful place… until Zant took control of the Twilight Realm and turned all the Twili into shadow beasts."<br>/He used _MY_ TRANSFORMATION SPELL? / Vaati screamed in his head  
>"It is clear to me now that he somehow gained a great evil power previously unknown to our tribe..." Midna sighed, "In any case, I was sent here from there, I could no longer go back without his power."<br>"So how do we get in?" Link asked  
>"Another tale told by my people," Midna added, "Though the goddesses forbade us to return to the world of light, they left one link between the light and darkness,"<br>/The Dark Mirror, / Vaati's eyes grew wide  
>"Something called the mirror of Twilight was passed to the protectors of Hyrule…" Midna continued, "It's our only path to the Twilight Realm… and we must get there!"<br>"We will…" Vaati smiled  
>"Thank you…" Midna said as she went back into Link's shadow and they all went to sleep…<br>Or so Link and Midna thought…

XXXXXXX

Late into the night when Vaati was sure the other two were asleep, he packed his bag and started heading towards the Colossus. Just when he was about to reach the entrance to Arbiter's ruins, and hand stopped him. Vaati was surprised to see Link and Midna.  
>"Thought you could have <em>all<em> the fun?" Link's expression was smug.  
>"It would be less time consuming if I went…" Vaati sighed,<br>"You know we're obligated to go with you?" Midna smirked  
>"Okay… but I know Arbiter's grounds… just wait out here and I can get us through…" Vaati said<br>"Alright…" Link sighed as Vaati ran in. First Vaati used his throwing knives to kill any bublin in a watch tower so he could go unnoticed. Then he drew his sword and went to war with the army of bublin soldiers around to camp. Link could only here from the outside until he was dodging flying corpses. Meanwhile Vaati was laughing his head off as he slaughtered the army.  
>"What's a matter, never seen a psycho before?" Vaati chuckled at the frightened soldiers and he slaughtered then… but snapped out of it when he heard Midna calling at him…<br>"Vale," She screamed, "is the coast clear or are we going to have to play more dead body dodge ball?"  
>"The coast is clear!" Vaati replied<br>/It's times like this I miss all the wars I've been in…/ Vaati sighed as Link and Midna made their way through the bodies over to Vaati.  
>"This seems a little bit too overboard… don't you think?" Midna asked<br>"Meh, it was efficient…" Vaati shrugged, "I got us in… be happy."  
>"Yeah whatever…" Midna glared as they came across two very large, battered, gates composed of large wooden sticks along with a lock barricading it.<br>"It looks like it needs a key-" Vaati suddenly turned to look at the piles of bodies, "Ah crap…"  
>Midna and Link glared coldly at the psychopathic wind mage who just turned an easy task into a "needle in a hay stack" scenario. Vaati sighed…making a decision over what to do.<br>/Ugh… this way seems so primitive and suspicious… but I guess I got us into this mess,/ Vaati thought  
>"I'll fix it…" Vaati growled as he grabbed the lock and chains and ripped it from its hinges, allowing passage. Then he put it in his bag, adding to the question. Link examined his friend <em>Vale<em> for a second. Though the mage seemed strong… he didn't seem strong enough to perform such tasks… and then there was when a huge boulder blocked their path to the Lakebed Temple, Vaati broke it like a pebble. Midna was thinking of the same thing.  
>Hah… their probably wondering how I got such strength,/ Vaati laughed mentally, /If I was talking to Louise I could tell her all about the circumstances of the Four Sword… but too bad for me I guess…/  
>"H-how did you do that?" Link asked<br>"Would you shut up if I said fist fights as a kid?" Vaati questioned  
>"Sure…" Link smiled<br>"Then fist fights as a kid it is," Vaati sighed as the two opened the doors. It was a fairly nice sized room… probably used for meetings by the looks of it… considering the wooden walls were much sturdier and the floor, though some sand was able to enter, had stone flooring. Strangely… there was a Bulbo right across from them. Link foolishly decided to go and check it out.  
>Wait a minute…/ Vaati's eyes grew wide  
>"Link!" Vaati screamed, "It's a trap!"<br>"How hard could it be-" Link was interrupted by something breathing heavily behind him, "its right behind me…"  
>Suddenly from the shadows came… the Bublin King! Using his hammer, the King hit both Link and the Bulbo, knocking them both unconscious.<br>"Crap…" Vaati cursed as he entered the fight. Vaati was stuck dodging swings due to the King's unstoppable moving hammer. Suddenly the King tried to flatten him… but to no avail, and his hammer was stuck in the ground, giving Vaati enough time to deliver five blows to the front of the Bublin King knocking him on the ground. Due to the severity of each strike, the King became weak easily. The King got up, screamed at Vaati, and left through a large door in a corner. Vaati was about to go see if Link was okay until he saw fire, a fire started by the Bublin King and his minions to be sure that they burned alive. The Bulbo regained consciousness from sensing the flames, which gave Vaati an idea.  
>Vaati grabbed Link and put him on the Bulbo before attempting to get on himself, but could not. Before he could get on, the Bulbo freaked out due to the close range flames and made a break for the Colossus, waking Link who now held on for his life, leaving the mage behind. The Bulbo created an opening straight to the Colossus, which Vaati began to follow, but on his way there, part of the burning walls collapsed, closing his direct path and way back. Now he had to find his way through the burning maze. As he tried he made it through half of the maze full of fire and debris. He got to one of the longer stretched paths leading him closer to the end. Just as he started through it more of the wall fell blocking the end of this route. When he turned to head back, the flaming wall began to crumble progressively from the beginning of the stretch and working its way towards Vaati. Vaati started running towards a dead end of fire, he was trapped and he knew it, he turned around as the collapsing wall neared him, knowing what was to come.<p>

XXXXXXX

Link and Midna watched from afar as they saw Arbiter's Grounds collapse with no sign of their friend. Midna feared the worse until she saw it, large portions of the Grounds begin to explode. Link and Midna's eyes grew wide as they rushed over to see what they could find, but as they ran the saw something. Limping in the distance was a battered and burned Vaati, who was struggling to walk. Every few minutes the mage would fall coughing and get back up again. Their happiness to see him faded when they saw his injuries. Vaati was covered in ash, cuts, scratches, gashes, first, second, third, and some fourth degree burns. Part of his head was bleeding, the long so called scratch he got from Argorok was back as well as a third degree burn, he had a large cut on his collar, two cuts on his lips, his left cheek had three cuts on it and a second degree burn, his right had a second and first degree burn and some bruises. His upper right arm had what looked like another large gash at first, but was a fourth degree burn. His knees had forth degree burns as well.  
>how can he stand this?/ Midna asked /he's barely even screaming, he shouldn't even be walking!/  
>"V-Vale!" Link shrieked as he went to help his friend.<br>"H-hey… are y-you guys al…right?" Vaati asked as he coughed  
>"Us?" Midna screamed, "You should be more worried about yourself! Just look at you!"<br>"Midna's right," Link said, "We need to find you a hospital, stat."  
>"N-no," Vaati stuttered, "Fountain… song… water…"<br>"Wh-where?" Link was frightened, but then the sorcerer slipped out of his grasp and began limping towards a stone. Vaati dug out the rest of it with whatever strength he could find.  
>"P-play the son-g…" Vaati coughed as Link looked at the notes. Midna turned him into a wolf and he began howling the notes to a song, the Song of Storms. Suddenly the sand cleared revealing a dried out spring that soon filled with water. Vaati crawled over to it, selfishly gulping the liquid. He remembered a time when he had acted like this before…<p>

-

A thirteen year old boy garbed in purple with long lavender hair and pale skin awoke near a river in a forest. Red eyes flashed open and examined their surroundings. He felt weak, his stomach was practically eating itself and he was so thirsty he could shrivel up this very moment and die. He noticed the water next to him and scrambled over to it, gulping the water as if it was the last thing on earth. Then a fish began to swim by. He used his shaky hands to grab it tight.  
>"Sorry…" he said as he stabbed the fish, killing it quick and then began to eat it raw. The fish was gone in a minute, leaving behind its skeleton. Then he went back to gulping the water. He did so for an hour before composing himself.<p>

-

Fairies started surrounding the small pond from which Vaati began to drink from. The mage, however, was looking worse by the minute.  
>"Vale, please, you need to see a doctor…" Midna pleaded<br>"Can't… need… water…" Vaati stalled  
>Something about him doesn't want to go into Castle Town/ Midna sighed, /but what?/  
>"Fine, we'll take you to see the Shaman in Kakariko!" Link Stated but Vaati just continued gulping water. They were running out of time, but a miracle happened, six fairies passed by Link and Midna<br>"Healing fairies," Link smiled, "Could you help my friend?"  
>The fairies nodded as they went over to look at Vaati's condition. Many shrieked but the one leading them seemed determined to help the sorcerer. They formed a circle and used all the magic they could muster to help heal him. Any burns he had left were only first and second degree, all gashes became minor cuts, or at least minor to Vaati, and scratches.<br>"Thank you…" Vaati smiled, the leader nodded as she flew off.  
>"Now all we need to do is pass Arbiter's Grounds." Link smiled as they headed in.<p>

XXXXXXX

The two entered the deserted fortress cautiously; Vaati told them to watch for traps. They didn't progress far before reaching their first obstacle. Only a few pieces f the floor were left standing as a giant whirlpool of sand remained eating at the coarse grains.  
>"So what do we do now?" Link looked at Vaati as if Vaati held all the answers. The mage scanned the room for clues on how to get through. Then a grate covering a lamp caught his attention.<br>"Link, you see that grate?" Link nodded, "Use your clawshot to get to that platform and jump to the others."  
>"What about you?" Link asked when suddenly the mage jumped to the platform across from them.<br>"I'm already ahead of you." The sorcerer smirked. They got through the first part with some ease, minus Link's shriek at the undead warriors. They were at the next door, which conveniently happened to be locked.  
>"Great," Link huffed, "Got any ideas?"<br>"Um, this?" Vaati ripped this lock from its hinges as well, much like the last one, and handed it to Link, who dropped it and the proceeded. As they entered the next room, the door behind them locked. The room was very dark, making it hard to see.  
>"Link, take out your lantern." Vaati said but Link gave him a hesitated look<br>"You see… it kind of… ran out of fuel… heh…" Link mumbled  
>"It WHAT?" Vaati screamed, waking the army of undead warriors that flooded the room.<br>"Oh crap…" Link shrieked as they say he army. Vaati took out the lock he stole from the ruins and started swinging it, hitting the crowed of skeletons. Then one grabbed the lock and pulled Vaati into the crowed. The mage wrestled through their boney hands that tried to keep him down.  
>"Hands off!" Vaati screamed, "You're worse than my fangirls-"<p>

[ Me: … FANGIRLS! FUCKING FANGIRLS!  
>Vaati: What?<br>Me: THIS IS NOT AN ABRIDGED SERIES! THIS IS A FANFIC! READ THE SCRIPT!  
>Vaati: We have a script?<br>Me: YES WE HAVE A FUCKING SCRIPT!  
>Vaati: Since when?<br>Me: JUST READ IT! AND STOP BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL!  
>Vaati: pfft, fine… *cough* killjoy *cough*<br>Me: *glare* I'm watching you ]  
>"What?" Link stared<br>"JUST HELP ME!" Vaati screamed  
>Link ran around the room frantic while Vaati was wrestling the endless army which, no matter how many times he killed, kept coming back to maul at him, all the while Vaati would scream things like:<br>"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"  
>"GRRR MY CAPE!"<br>"HELP, THEY'RE TRYING TO MOLEST ME!"  
>"NO, I DO <em>NOT<em> WANT TO PLAY DOCTOR!"  
>"I DON'T SWING THAT WAY!"<br>"I'LL BREAK EVERY ONE OF YOU!"  
>"FUCKING HELP!"<br>Etc. Etc. waiting for Link to find something to get them out. Link suddenly ran into two unlit torches.  
>"Oh no, I'm out of fuel!" Link bit his lip, "What am I going to do?"<br>"Link, you stole backup fuel from Trill, remember?" Midna glared  
>"OH, right," Link said as he filled his lantern with oil and proceeded to light the torches, which unlocked both doors. Link opened the one nearest to him and urged Vaati to come through quickly.<br>"GET THEM OFF! GET THEM OFF!" Vaati screamed as he crawled out of the mess of bones and ran screaming for the exit, which cause him to bump into Link and the door to slam before anymore skeletons could glomp the mage. Vaati jolted off of Link into a sitting position staring at the door in fear.  
>"Never, ever, <em>EVER<em> again, you hear me," Vaati panted, "We are never going through that door again!"  
>"Are you okay?" Link asked<br>"Well my virginity's still in tacked, so I should be fine," Vaati huffed  
>"I didn't need to know that…" Link smacked himself in the head as the two got up. When the two stood in the middle of the room they saw four floating lanterns suddenly sweep by each of the four flames that were keeping the open and took the fire for themselves. Link could see what they were, not being in wolf form, but Vaati could, and he knew exactly how to interact with them.<br>| Oy! What do you think you're doing?| Vaati screamed in a language unknown to Link and Midna  
>|Um… guarding… What? Do you have a problem with it?| One poe asked<br>|YES!| Vaati replied, | I want to get through!|  
>|and are you worthy?| asked another<br>|My partner, Link, has the Triforce of fucking Courage!| Vaati barked, |SO YES! I THINK WE ARE!|  
>|Why so anxious to get through?| Asked the same poe<br>| I'm tired of this quest! Link's a moron, Midna's never even fucking around, and I swear after all the shit Ganon's done I just want him dead and gone!| Vaati ranted,  
>|Why not kill him before?| One poe was curious<br>|Because, if I killed him, I lose the Triforce of Power that fuck off promised!| Vaati hissed as he took out his sword, |So put the fire back before I chop off your head, and eat your damn souls! And thanks to mister eat everything hero, I'm really, _really_ hungry!|  
>|Okay, okay, bloodthirsty psychopath,| they said as they put the fire back and ran away<br>"Woah," Link stared, "You must've scared the crap out of them."  
>"Yeah, now let's go," Vaati said as he and Link proceeded to the next room, only to set Vaati's anger off. To get to the boss they would have to complete a whole new array of senseless tasks and gain a new item. Vaati's patience was gone, and he started screaming furiously as he took his fists and began punching through the thick wall, all the while causing the place to shake and crumble ever so slightly.<br>"I NEARLY DIE SEVERAL TIMES, GET MY FUCKING FLESH BURNED OFF AND STARVE FOR THIS! FOR WHAT WE NEED TO BE FUCKING INCONVENIENT TO ACCESS! THE GODDESSES JUST LOVE TO FUCK WITH ME DON'T THEY! WHY AM I STUCK ON THIS NEVER ENDING QUEST? BECAUSE I'M NOT A FAVORITE OF THE GODDESSES THAT'S WHY! FUCKING ASSHOLES!" Vaati screamed his head off; ranting about only Nayru knew what to Link and Midna. Death Sword heard the screaming and felt the rumbling and came over to them with the item chest around his waist. He saw the insane sorcerer, and though was scared, stood his ground. This caught Vaati's attention as he jumped on the sword, pried it from the ghostly hands of its wielder, and stabbed the enemy repeatedly until the ghostly figure fell and exploded. He then reached in the chest, and handed the Spinner to Link before going back to punching the wall until it crumbled.  
>"…Wow…" was all Link could say.<br>"Um… yeah, so, maybe we should go to the boss room now…" Vaati hesitated  
>"Remind me not to get on your bad side…" Link gulped<br>"Okay," Vaati said as he and Link proceeded to the boss.

XXXXXXX

The two entered the boss room thanks to Vaati's ability to rip locks out of their hinges. The two entered a circular room with a giant fossil in the middle of it. As they came close to the giant mess of bones, Zant appeared.  
>"I see you lived," Zant laughed, "But I had no doubts that would be the case."<br>"What do you want, _Zant_" Vaati snarled  
>"Can't I see some old friends," Zant chuckled<br>"And when, pray tell, did this little friendship happen?" Vaati cocked a brow, "In that insane little head of yours I presume?"  
>"Hah, you're one to talk," Zant snickered, "Mr. Sociopath."<br>"I have no idea what you're talking about," Vaati glared  
>"Of course not," Zant stated sarcastically, "and I just knew this little reunion was going to be fun,"<br>"Too bad this is going to be the last reunion you'll ever go to!" Vaati hissed  
>"Yes, well I'd love to stay and see the results it seems I'm on a bit of a tight schedule," Zant continued, "but I'm sure my pet would love the company, he hasn't had it in centuries,"<br>"_Pet?_" just as Vaati said that Zant summoned another sword and dove it into the fossils head and warped away. Suddenly the room began to shake as the pile of bones rose from the ground and roared at them, sending the two backwards. They were now at war with the Twilit Fossil Stallord.  
>"Holy Hyrule! It's a Red Eyes-"<p>

[Me: Yu-Gi-Oh, really!  
>Vaati: Wha-<br>Me: *punches him* I THOUGHT I SAID NO BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL!  
>Vaati: And I thought I called you a killjoy!<br>Me: Alright, when I'm done beating you to a pulp I'm giving you herpes in the next chapter to explain why you're a virgin!  
>Vaati: OO I'll do anything! Anything!<br>Me: I'll consider it….]

"What?" Link asked  
>"WATCH OUT!" Vaati said as he dragged Link away from the acid vomit being spewed from the giant fossil.<br>"What are we going to do?" Link shrieked  
>"Hop on your spinner, ride the rails, and jump off and hit into the spine," Vaati calculated<br>"HOW! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK THIS THING!" Link screamed as Vaati took the spinner and demonstrated, breaking part of Stallord's spine, and lowering him closer to the ground.  
>"Seems easy enough," Link sighed, "So what are you going to do?"<br>"Kill off the undead shields," Vaati smirked, "What else."  
>The two worked with that plan until the beast once again lay dormant. Though there was something suspicious about the fight, it was easy, <em>too<em> easy. Vaati didn't like it one bit, but went along with it as the sand receded and they were now at the bottom and Stallord was now a head.  
>"Well that was… weird…" Link said<br>"Meh, the soon the better I guess," Vaati shrugged as he got on the platform. Link recognized the gear in the middle from when he and Vaati were going to access the boss chamber. He used the spinner to activate the gears causing the platform to rise to the level that the doorway to the Mirror was. Suddenly they heard rumbling behind them and turned to see Stallord, or Stallhead, floating behind them. They drew their swords but Stallord acted quickly and pushed both Link and Vaati down, Vaati using his hand to grab the wall and trying to break his fall as Link lay unconscious next to him.  
>"Oh shit!" Vaati said as he tried to wake up his unconscious ally. But to no avail, suddenly Stallhead was in front of them. In a quick attempt to distract him Vaati threw some throwing knives at him, took the spinner, and started up the rails causing the boney head to follow while shooting fire from his mouth. When he was high enough he jumped at Stallhead, grabbed onto the sword, and began slashing away at him making the fossil shake violently and throwing Vaati to another side of the room. Link opened his eyes and realized where he was. Not to long after he saw his spinner coming towards him and hopped on it. Soon after that he saw Vaati on a spiked spinner going in the same direction he was going.<br>"What do we do?" Link asked  
>"Get high enough and jump onto him," Vaati directed, "And the slash away at the sword."<br>When the two were close enough they attempted a jump, but only got a few slashed at the sword before falling. Link used his spinner to lock on to the rails on the wall around the center as Vaati landed on a spiked spinner. When he saw he was about to collide with his old spinner he jumped in hopes of reaching another but…  
>"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH" Vaati screamed as missed the jump to the next spinner.<br>/I just need to get back in the fight/ Vaati thought but….. "OOOOOWWWWW" He screamed in pain as he fell back down, his right leg broke his previous fall, and broke in general.  
>Great, I need to get out there, Dear Farore, I hope they don't notice/ Vaati thought as he used a healing spell to heal his leg. Link, on the other hand was having troubles himself. If dogging the blasts weren't hard enough, he had to avoid the spiked spinners, though Vaati used one to try and beat Stallord. Another blast shot from Stallord's mouth and Link was sent to the ground. With not a moment to lose, Vaati quickly rejoined the battle, though his leg hadn't completely healed. Hopping on a spiked spinner, he was quickly greeted by Stallord and a blast that sent him to the other side of the arena, two yards away from Link.  
>Stallord, will be over any minute! / Vaati panicked, /I don't have enough power to… what about the transformation spell? Wait, NO! They have the picture in the history book! GAH! Why did we look through those books! What other choice do I have, I don't have enough power for anything else! NO, I CAN'T GIVE AWAY MY IDENTITY! /  
>Link was barely conscious, able to see and hear what was going on, but unable to move. A deadly fate approached, Stallord was soon above Link, readying a blast. Link was done for, a dead man. A tear ran down one eye as he prepared for what was to come. What happened next wasn't what he expected. Soon a large, Bat like, demonic flying eye rammed into the skeletal head.<br>"Lo-Lord Vaati" Stallord squealed in horror as Vaati used one tentacle to rip the sword from the Stallhead and crush it. Then he blasted Stallord into oblivion. Midna watched in shock.  
>I knew it! He is a magic user! The ancient evil… Vaati… /Midna thought  
>Link was defiant though, This is all a dream, I was reading those books for too long and now I'm dreaming that Vale is Vaati, I'm going to wake up back at camp and we'll do this temple and everything will be back to normal/ Though Link knew Vale was Vaati, he wouldn't believe it.  
>As Vaati finished with Stallord, he transformed back into his Hylian form and went over to help Link up and heal his injuries. As he finally got Link to the platform above, Link started laughing deliriously.<br>"I-is he going to be okay?" Midna asked with concern  
>"He'll be fine," Vaati said, dragging the hero, "He's just suffering from mild shock"<br>The three reached to top to meet a large pile of sand covering the area where the mirror of Twilight rests. Vaati set Link down by one of the pillars and drew his sword. Vaati readied a wind attack with the sword as the Twilit Beasts rained fro the sky. He threw his sword and it acted as a boomerang, killing the beasts and opening another portal. Vaati flew up to the top of the monument to the Goddess of Sand and used a small cyclone to act like the spinner. As the statue sunk the mirror and a large block rose from the ground, a fatal misfortune was found. Link stood as Vaati and Midna rushed over to the mirror, and gasped. A large portion of the mirror was missing.  
>"DAMN IT!" Vaati cursed when Link looked up, noticing the Sages.<br>"A dark entity lurks in the twilight…" They said, "It houses and evil power…"  
> Where's the sixth sage? / Vaati questioned  
>"Wind mage and hero with the crest of the goddesses," They continued, "Hear us."<br>"Continue," scowled the mage  
>"At the command of the goddesses we sages have guarded the Mirror of Twilight since ancient times."<br>"You seek it… but the Mirror of Twilight has been fragment by a mighty magic."  
>"It is a dark power that only he possesses…"<br>"Who's he?" Midna asked  
>"Wind Mage, explain," said a sage as they turned to Vaati<br>"His name is Ganondorf," Vaati said, "He was the King of Thieves, a race known as the Gerudo, he attempted to control Hyrule before but was sealed inside a sword,"  
>"By a divine prank he was blessed with the power of the goddesses, like you young hero," Said another sage<br>"Ganon wasn't blessed, he stole it!" Vaati argued, "Now where's the rest of you?"  
>"What do you mean?" Asked the sages as Link and Midna stared,<br>"There were six," Vaati said, "where's the other one."  
>"Murdered," Spoke the leader, "By Ganondorf in our attempt to bring him to justice."<br>"YOU MEAN YOU SET HIM FREE?" Barked the mage, "DEATH IS TOO EASY, I SAY LET HIM ROT IN THE FOUR SWORD!"  
>"But it was the only way to put his evil to a permanent end…" spoke a sage<br>"And look how that turned out!" Vaati hissed, "Weren't your jobs were to enforce the seal on the Mirror of Twilight and the Four Sword!"  
>"Yes but…" The sages tried vainly<br>"But nothing!" Vaati continued, "Just give us the location of the mirror shards and we'll fix your mess!"  
>"Snowpeak, Temple of Time, City in the Sky…" said one sage sheepishly<br>"Thank you," Vaati huffed as the sages disappeared.  
>"Onto the shards!" Link said deliriously before fainting.<br>"Ugh…" Vaati said, "This is going to be a long quest…"  
>Let's see what happens when he wakes up and realizes this isn't a dream and that I'm Vaati…/ Vaati sighed as he threw Link over his shoulder and left

"A freak am I?" a red eyed 13 year old minish grinned evilly as he held the wishing cap  
>"A weirdo, a monster…" Vaati laughed<br>"Well then… the crowd wants a monster, I'll give them a monster," Vaati smirked, "and everyone knows the costumer is always right…"  
>Vaati put on the cap, an insane look in his eyes…<br>"Hear my wish," Vaati whispered, "I wish to be an all powerful _Hylian_ sorcerer!"  
>"Vaati, what are you doing there?" Asked his master in shock<br>/Just in time for the grand finale, Master…/ Vaati thought vindictively


	20. Chapter 20

"So after all that he just left"

Chapter 20  
>The Truth Part 2, Newcomer:<p>

Link shifted around in his sleeping bag until finally opening his eyes to see he was back at camp, and Vaati was roasting a fish over the fire.  
>I-it was all a dream?/ Link sighed  
>"Link, are you okay?" Midna asked<br>"Yeah… why?" Link stared  
>"Do you remember anything about the battle with Stallord or the sages?" Vaati interrogated<br>"Wait…" Link paused, "THAT WAS ALL REAL?"  
>"… yes…" Vaati huffed<br>"Then that means… it means…" Link gasped  
>"Correct, I am Vaati Nociri," Vaati revealed, "Or more formally known as Vaati the Wind Sorcerer"<br>"SO YOU FAKED YOUR OWN DEATH!" Link jolted out of his sleeping bag and grabbed his equipment  
>"…I had to…" Was Vaati's only reply<br>"Link calm down…" Midna tried to ease the hysterical hero, but to no avail Link just began ranting  
>"CALM DOWN! MIDNA HE'S OUR ENEMY, MOST FEARED SORCERER OF ALL TIME, ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY EVILS OF HYRULE AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN, FOR ALL WE KNOW HE WANTS TO KILL ME!"Link screamed<br>"Then why would he save you?" Midna asked  
>"HE PROBABLY DID IT SO HE COULD KILL ME HIMSELF, HE'S EVIL AND MANIPULATIVE, HE JUST WANTS ME TO BEGIN TO TRUST HIM AND USE ME TO GET RID OF THE COMPETION SO HE CAN KILL ME AND TAKE THE WORLD FOR HIMSELF!" Link continued as he walked up to the speechless mage and held a sword to his throat, "EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR US WAS A LIE YOU SELFISH BASTARD, I SHOULD KILL YOU RIGHT HERE FOR YOUR CRIMES YOU NARSASSISTIC ASS-"<br>Link was cut short when Vaati backed away and took pieces of wood, set them up like a table, got on his knees, and laid his head on it, as if he was to be beheaded. For ten minutes there was silence, until Vaati finally spoke  
>"Well… what are you waiting for?" Link stared in confusion, "Are you going to finish me off or what?"<br>/Is he actually ready to accept death?/ Link questioned  
>"Oh I see… you need me to get my hair out of the way…" Vaati smiled as he moved his hair to the sides revealing his neck, "So, are you going to kill me or not?"<br>"I-" Link suddenly became serious, "I'll leave your fate to the people of Hyrule,"  
>Link grabbed the rest of his things and began to walk away, leaving the mage,<br>"He didn't deserve that…" Midna sighed  
>"You're right, I SHOULD'VE KILLED HIM!" Link hissed in anger<br>"Link, have you ever thought that he was trying to help you because he wanted to start over?" Midna barked  
>"I DID WHAT WAS BEST," Link screeched, "NOW YOU DO YOUR JOB AND WARP US OUT OF HERE BEFORE I LIST YOU AS A CRIMINAL AS WELL!"<br>Midna did as told and warped them to the West gate of Hyrule Castle, secretly afraid of the furious hero. Link on the other hand felt a great deal of anger, betrayal, hatred, but mostly, guilt. He felt guilt for not giving the villain a chance, but also for trusting him. Vaati sighed as he saw the hero warp away,  
>Congratulations you fucking moron,/ He scolded himself, /Hundreds of years out of that wretched sword and now you'll probably end up back in it…/  
>Vaati took a glance at his sword and closed his eyes before saying, "If tomorrow isn't better, it may be time to ring down the curtain on my life…"<br>/Anything to stay out of that wretched sword…/ Vaati stared at the fire with a frightened look and shivered at the memories.

-

A young and scared thirteen year old boy walked through the empty abyss of black. The boy was tall, 6'1 at least. His snow white skin had hints of purple in it; his long lavender hair was a mess that fell in every direction. His eyes of crimson could frighten even the bravest of people away, and under each eye was a "T" shaped birthmark. The boy was slender but muscular. His name was Vaati. Despite how little it helped his situation, Vaati just kept walking through the darkness. It was cold, he had no food, yet he did not die, he had no water, yet he did not die. He pondered how long he had been in here, one hundred, maybe two hundred years. It didn't matter, he didn't see anyway out, but kept following the light he once saw so long ago, before it was gone. Every now and then he talked to himself, attempted to sleep, attempted suicide but was prevented by some strange magic, and everything remained the same, he was stuck there, doomed to roam naked with no use of his magic and no one to talk to. He would have been grateful for anything; he didn't care just as long as he saw something other than himself and the darkness. You see, that's the thing about the Four Sword, it leaves you with nothing, literally. The mage just continued walking, contemplating why he was there when suddenly he bumped into something, but when he looked around, he saw nothing. He put his hands up to feel around and felt a wall. That's when he came to realize he was in the actual sword, and probably smaller than microscopic. The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together and he saw what he needed to do. Vaati began slamming against the wall, in hopes that someday he would be free, and vowed never return to this horrid place. A vow that would be broken…

-

XXXXXXX

"Ngh." Grunted a Dark figure as it finally reached Gerudo Desert. Tired and exhausted, a dark blue eyed, black haired, fair skinned Dark Link lay panting on the coarse sand. A snail that passed by him caught his attention. He used all of his strength to get up and picked up the snail.  
>"Hi Mr. Snail, do you mind if I eat you?" The snail looked at Dark, "Hey! You try climbing a cliff, I need to eat you!"<br>Dark Link brought the snail closer to his mouth, but stopped when he saw the snail's face.  
>"Don't look at me like that!" Dark demanded, "It's nothing personal, I just need food and…"<br>Dark Stopped when a small light in the distance caught his eye.  
>"Hide in my pocket Mr. Snail." Dark said as he put the snail in his pocket and ran over towards the light. His eyes widened when he saw who was there and what was next to him.<br>Vaati was grabbing more wood to throw onto the fire when…  
>"DEAR FARORE and… Dammit don't sneak up on me like that!" Vaati scolded Dark<br>"VAATI!" Dark screamed as he hugged him.  
>"I see you got my present all those centuries ago." Vaati said<br>"Yup." Dark replied as he continued hugging Vaati  
>"You can stop hugging me now." Vaati demanded<br>"Okay. Is that fish!" Dark changed subjects  
>"You want some don't you?" Vaati snarled and Dark nodded.<br>"Fine." Vaati replied as he gave Dark a fish, grabbed one himself, and they both sat around the fire as Vaati answered Dark's questions.  
>"So where were you for like a bazillion centuries?" Dark asked his former mentor, "We all thought you were dead!"<br>"Here and there," Vaati shrugged  
>"Did you keep another journal on it?" Dark questioned<br>"Yeah… why?" Vaati stared  
>"…Can I read it?" Dark looked at him with a puppy dog expression<br>"You know that's never going to work on me," Vaati glared  
>"You didn't answer my question," Dark continued to stare<br>"No- will you cut that out!" Vaati demanded  
>"Okay, okay, jeez," Dark smirked, "what happened to make <em>you<em> so grumpy?"  
>"It's a long story…" Vaati scratched his head<br>"Do I have anything better to do?" Dark giggled. Vaati explained everything to him, Ganon, Zant, the Mirror of Twilight, and what happened between him and Dark's double.  
>"So after all that he just left you 'cause you were actually Vaati?" Dark stared in shock<br>"Yup, just like that," Vaati shrugged as he got another fish  
>"Even after you saved him?" Dark asked<br>"As if I never did any of those things," Vaati laughed  
>"Why is it that anytime anything bad happens to you, you always laugh about it?" Dark pointed to the sorcerer<br>"What's not funny about it-" Vaati was cut short when Dark fell on his knees, "DARK!"  
>"Ugh… I don't feel so good," Dark moaned as Vaati rushed to him, "Was it the fish?"<br>"Here let me check," Vaati said as he used magic to bring up Dark's Bio Charts to check what the problem is.  
>"S-so, what's happening?" Asked the pained and frightened shadow<br>"Sad to say it's not the fish," Vaati sighed in concern, "Being a shadow your still connected to Link, and as of right now he's taking heavy damage from an attack…"  
>"THAT IDIOT, DOES HE HAVE A DEATH WISH FOR BOTH OF US?" Dark screamed in fear, "WHERE THE HELL IS HE?"<br>"From what the charts read he's somewhere along Snowpeak," Vaati gasped, "With those conditions he won't last very long."  
>"T-that bastard," Dark cursed, "Can you pin point his coordinates?"<br>"… No, the connection is too hazy to be sure," Vaati looked down, "So I guess we're left with only one option,"  
>"And what would that be?" Dark questioned as he saw Vaati take on his Demon form<br>"We'll have to fly there," Vaati answered in a deep, gruff voice as Dark stared at the giant bat with one eye. He had only seen this form a few times and never has it ended pretty… for anyone around the mage that is.  
>"But how will I hang on, your horns don't exactly scream friendly- AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Dark screamed as a tentacle wrapped itself around his waist and lifted him off the ground, "So high, oh so very high off the ground- PUT ME DOWN, PUT ME DOWN I DON'T WANNA DIE!"<br>"Would you rather walk?" Vaati glared  
>"… No…" Dark gulped as he clung to the tentacle<br>"Then shut up," Vaati ordered  
>"O-okay…" Replied the trembling shadow as Vaati took flight, though Dark lost his hat in the process and felt like screaming that Vaati was going to fast, and they headed towards Snowpeak.<p> 


	21. Chapter 21

"We've apprehended this _monster_"

Chapter 21  
>The Hero's Shadow:<p>

"Any sign up him?" Dark asked the flying demon, the two were fighting through a blizzard in Snowpeak  
>"No- wait! Down there!" Vaati said as he and Dark landed in the midst of a snowy battle between Link and some wolves. Running from the once again Hylian sorcerer, Dark beat each one of the wolves and then grabbed Link by the collar.<br>"JUST WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, DO YOU WANT ME TO DIE?!" Dark screamed at the puzzled hero.  
>"Link, this is your shadow, Dark Link," Vaati introduced, "And Dark, well, you already know who this is."<br>"Is this another one of your cruel tricks, _monster_?" Link snarled  
>"DON'T DARE TO CALL HIM THAT!" Dark screeched<br>"Hey, let your _boyfriend_ defend himself!" Link jeered  
>"Narcissistic are we," Vaati laughed, "Sorry Link, but I don't roll that way and your not my type."<br>"Wha- YOU DIRTY MAGE!" Link screamed as Dark and Midna chuckled  
>"I'm just saying, if this was how you felt I know of a bar where you can meet people… more like you," Vaati shrugged<br>"And how would you know of this bar?" Link glared  
>"So he is interested," Vaati smirked, "And it was Telma's competitor for the longest time."<br>"Riiight…" Link rolled his eyes, "Did you just come here to insult me or did you actually come to pull some shit and act like my friend again?"  
>"If I was going to put up an act you would've already thought of me as your best buddy and we would be throwing a fiesta." Vaati chuckled<br>"I personally came here so that _I_ don't die 'cause of you," Dark said  
>"Did anyone ask y- wait did you say die?" Link stared<br>"Do you think I would lie about him being your shadow?" Vaati glared  
>"Prove it!" Link screamed as Vaati rolled up Dark's left sleeve to show he had a scratch across it that was still bleeding. Link rolled up his left sleeve showing an identically scratch.<br>"Th-that's not… it's… can't be…!" Link could barely finish his sentences  
>"Hmm…." Midna examined the black haired shadow, "Yup, Link, this is your legit shadow."<br>"How is this even possible?" Link gave an uneasy stare  
>"Dark world," Dark said, "Though how I got here, I have no idea,"<br>"Y' know, I never asked you what it is you're doing here," Vaati tapped his chin  
>"One moment I'm in the Dark world, the next I'm in a twisted Darknuts version of 'Pulling the Plug on Lake Hylia,' which I still never got over," Dark stated bluntly<br>"Yeah, that was a weird night." Vaati agreed  
>"But anyways I thought this might have something to do with the Twin Dark Mirror so I started climbing towards Gerudo Valley." Dark continued, "By the way, did you see any Gerudo's while you were there?"<br>"Their about as dead as the Minish," Vaati snorted  
>"Look, this is going nowhere," Link huffed, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go before you waste anymore of my time!"<br>"Link, you almost died in this blizzard," Vaati stated, "If we're going out there without a path we'll eventually die,"  
>"You have magic powers, do something!" Link demanded<br>"Ugh, you really have no knowledge of magic," Vaati sighed, "I have to factor in the cold as a element, if I alter it, drastic disaster will strike, my wings will freeze if I fly and I don't know this route well so I have no idea of the correct coordinates."  
>"So then, what are we supposed to do?!" Link hissed<br>"What information have you been given regarding this area?" Vaati asked  
>"Some thing has been stealing fish from the Zora's and bringing it back here," Link told<br>"Link, you're a wolf, have you ever thought OF FINDING A FISH THAT MATCHES THE ONES BEING STOLEN FOR ITS SCENT?!" Midna screamed, scaring Dark Link.  
>"She scares me," Dark peeped as he hid behind Vaati.<br>"Oh, I'm sorry," She said as she hugged Dark Link,  
>"Why don't I ever get a hug?" Link asked<br>"Because you're mean," She said.  
>"So I guess this means we're a group again," Vaati shrugged<br>"I'm still watching you," Link glared at the Mage as they walked back to Zora's Domain.

XXXXXXX

As the were exiting the tunnel and walking by the crystal water that shimmered gold at sunset, they were stomped when a couple of Zora's seized Dark Link, who was trailing behind them.  
>"Watch out fair hero!" Then said as they grabbed the shadow<br>"H-hey! Let me go!" Dark struggled, but to no avail as more kept coming.  
>"What's going on?" Link asked<br>"We've apprehended this _monster_" One told,  
>"How is he a monster?" Link questioned<br>"It is said that many centuries ago a _shadow_ resembling a great hero appeared and tried to destroy all of Hyrule," said another, "and now we shall see if this is the same demon."  
>"What?! I am no demon!" Dark spat, "I have thoughts, and feelings! Besides, DO I LOOK LIKE A DEMON TO YOU?!"<br>"No, but if you are, you will soon look like it," Said the chief as he took out a silver chain collar and walked towards Dark with it.  
>"Wh-what are you doing?!" Dark trembled and struggled more, eyeing the collar as if one touch could kill him, "L-Let me go! I said LET M-ME GO DAMN YOU! GET TH-THAT AWAY FROM ME-E!"<br>"N-no!" Vaati cursed as he tried to snatch the collar away but some guards held their spears to Vaati's neck, and prevented him from moving without blowing his cover.  
>"Link, do something!" Vaati urged, but the hero did nothing, just watched in curiosity. After a few minutes of struggling Dark had lost, the collar lay around his neck. When that happened the collar electrocuted him, causing the guards to retreat away from the black haired boy. Dark fell to the ground, screaming in pain and clawing at the collar. A change was seen throughout Dark Link's body, His skin turned pitch black along with his white under shirt, the only thing about him that wasn't a charcoal color were his iris and pupil, both of which were blood red.<br>"Monster! Monster!" The Zora's screamed. Dark was finally able to rip off the collar, threw it to the ground, and started darting off towards the Upper river, returning his skin and eye color as he did so. Link ran towards him and Vaati ran behind Link as the rain entered with the night. Link got to the Upper river, whose water level was higher due to the rain that drenched them, and found no Dark Link.  
>"You fucking IDIOT!" Vaati screamed, eyes blazed in fury as he walked towards Link, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL THEM TO STOP?!"<br>"I-I was curious," Link shrugged, but soon saw giant, dark purple wings sprout from Vaati's back as he grabbed Link and started flying towards Lake Hylia, but stopped half-way there and held the hero up at his level.  
>"CURIOUS! YOU WERE FUCKING CURIOUS?!" Vaati screeched<br>"What are you his dad?" Link chuckled, but soon screamed when Vaati dropped him, flew down, and caught him again before his bones broke, and flew back up into the sky.  
>"I'M HIS DAMN MENTOR YOU JACKASS!" Vaati ranted, "WHY DO YOU HATE DARK SO MUCH?! HE NEVER DID ANYTHING TO YOU!"<br>"DIDN'T THEY SAY HE CAUSED SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE PAST?!" Link retorted, only to receive another drop and grab from Vaati,  
>"DO YOU THINK HE WANTED TO? SURE HE LOVES TO BLOW STUFF UP BUT NOT LIKE GANONDORF WANTED HIM TO!" Vaati screamed, "FARORE, HERO, YOU ARE SO DENSE, NOT EVERYONE IS HOW YOU THINK THEY ARE."<br>"Well you certainly were," Link spat, only to receive a third drop and grab, then Vaati held him by his collar and spoke,  
>"Don't blame what I did on Dark," Vaati gritted his teeth, "Remember, it's me you hate, not him!"<br>Before Link could respond, Vaati dropped him in the now navy blue waters of Lake Hylia and disappeared.

XXXXXXX

Dark Link was leaning against the circular wall looking at the spirit Lanayru's spring. He soon looked up at the purple sorcerer who landed across from him. Vaati folded his wings, and they disappeared.  
>"Dark-" Vaati attempted to say but the shadow halted him,<br>"You know something funny," Dark laughed sadly, "Just when I forget that I'm nothing more than a shadow, something always reminds me."  
>"Dark, you're not just a shadow," Vaati said<br>"Oh right, I still have this thing," Dark removed his left gauntlet and reviled the Triforce symbol, with the middle glowing white, "Wonder why it always glows white and not black,"  
>"Dark, your still more than a shadow and a holder of the Triforce, you're a person," Vaati told him, "You still have thoughts and feelings, you even have your own personality, if you're not a person you'd have to be more."<br>"Huh, I sort of forgot how wise you are," Dark smiled, "Or how easily you could pull shit out of you ass, either one works."  
>"You know I don't tell you shit I pulled out of my ass," Vaati chuckled, "Or else you would be convinced you're a god or something,"<br>"Do gods still get to use bombs?" Dark asked  
>"Am I purple?" Vaati replied.<br>"Thank you for dropping me in the middle of the Lake," Link panted  
>"No problem, now you don't look as fat anymore," Vaati smirked as Dark laughed,<br>"Whatever," Link grumbled but then noticed Dark, "Hey, Dark, I'm sorry for not sticking up for you back their,"  
>"Nah, it's cool," Dark giggled, "And you have Vaati's ass-tastic wisdom to thank for it,"<br>"Aw, cute," Midna rolled her eyes, "Now if you're all done playing house I'd like to find a way to get up to that mirror shard before someone gets hurt by it."  
>"Is that a hint of caring I hear in your voice Midna," Vaati mocked<br>"Yeah it's nice to see you again to." Midna laughed as they warped out of the spring.


	22. Chapter 22

"Yup, we've lost him."

Chapter 22  
>When Alcohol Met Dark Link:<p>

Out in front of Hyrule Castle Town stood a Green Hero, his shadow, and a semi-annoyed Wind Sorcerer.  
>"So let me get this straight," Link became more confused by the situation, "You're going to pose as Dark's dad, who's posing as a long lost cousin in a traveling group?"<br>"Yeah, so?" Vaati raised a brow  
>"Um… you're purple… how's it going to work?" Link asked<br>"Link, I'm a Wind Mage, watch." Vaati said as he used his Magic to change his appearance. Vaati's snow white complexion matched Dark's semi-pale one. His eyes, once fearful crimson, turned sea blue. His purple tunic turned Navy Blue, his belt turned Silver and purple, his Pants became grey and his boots turned a darker brown. His Cape became completely a black that matched his once long purple hair, which was now short and raven colored along with a raven colored goatee.  
>"Um… why a goatee?" Link asked<br>"Adds effect…" Vaati shrugged but then was attacked by Dark.  
>"Daddy!" Dark laughed<br>"Dark I'm not you're daddy, I don't think it's possible." Vaati giggled as the two got up, "Let's get going."

XXXXXXX

As the trio entered the bar in hopes of answers… Telma hugged Dark to death, thinking he was Link. Everyone else gave Link questioning looks as to who was with him.  
>"OH AREN'T YOU JUST THE CUTEST THING IN HYRULE!" Telma squealed as she continued suffocating the shadow with her boobs.<br>"C-Can't… breathe… need… air… going… blind… help…" Dark struggled until finally, Telma released him from her clutches.  
>"So Link, who's your friend, is he your twin?" Telma asked happily<br>"Oh, um…" Link thought of a story, "He's my mom's brother's cousin's uncle's uncles' nephew's niece twice removed brother's son."  
>"Uh…" Telma stared, "O-okay…"<br>"He's my son," Vaati lied, "I'm Corlire."  
>"Nice to meet you Corlire, I'm Telma," Telma shook hands with her former employee, "And what's your son's name?"<br>"Because of his _dark_ hair color my wife named him Dark," Vaati lied once more  
>Compulsive liar are we?/ Helmaroc asked mentally  
>What are you doing in my head?/ Vaati questioned  
>I never get tired of seeing how long I can last in your insanity,/ Helmaroc smirked  
>Fine but keep it down, I'm trying to establish another alias./ Vaati demanded  
>As you wish grape juice,/ Helmaroc snickered  
>Well if we're going back to nicknames I might as well call you pecker again,/ Vaati shot back  
>… don't you have an appearance to keep up?/ Helmaroc giggled  
>"So would you like a drink, Dark?" Telma asked<br>"Yes please," Dark Link answered, forgetting what happened last time.

-

"I'M KING OF THE WORLD!" Shadow screamed as he ran around stealing everyone's shoes  
>"Um… Shadow, what happened here?" Vaati asked… only to have his shoes stolen and eaten<br>"PIE IS THE HOLIEST OF ITEMS!" Shadow continued  
>"How many fingers am I holding up?" Vaati asked as he held up three fingers… only to have a bomb thrown in his face.<br>"CHEESE!" Shadow laughed when suddenly  
>WHAM! Vaati hit him over the head so hard he passed out. When he did that all the other monsters and minions stared at him.<br>"What? It was the only way to knock him out until the effects of the alcohol where off!" Vaati lied, but everyone else fell for it and took Shadow to the infirmary.

-

"Would you like another?" Telma asked, seeing as half the bottle was empty in minutes and poor Dark, was already drunk out of his mind.  
>"Yes oh drink goddess…" Dark giggled<br>"…Dark, how many fingers am I holding up?" Vaati sighed as he held up three fingers  
>"Hmm… trick question! Your hair's pretty," Dark snickered hysterically<br>"Yup, we've lost him," Vaati stated  
>"More to drink please O' pretty lady," Dark meowed<br>"Nope, no more for him," Vaati said, "C'mon son, lets go, _now_"  
>"H-hey… aren't you supposed to be a flying purple unicorn?" Dark smiled<br>"No, thank you for you're hospitality Telma but I need to get him home," Vaati said as he threw the drunken shadow over his shoulder, "I don't want to have to pick him up at three a.m. because he fell asleep in the dungeon."  
>"I understand, thanks for stopping by honey," Telma winked as Vaati walked out with the half conscious Dark Link and left. Telma on the other hand was still lost in thought,<br>/Why does he seem so familiar… almost like he's…/ Telma's eyes grew wide for a second, but then withdrew, /No Telma, he's dead, don't think such silly things. /

XXXXXXX

Out in front of the left entrance Vaati, who was now back to normal appearance, was sitting with Dark, who was still drunk, while waiting for Link.  
>"Twinkle, twinkle, little bird, how I wish I had a nerd," Dark sang horribly while intoxicated, "Hey daddy can I have a pet rock,"<br>"No, and I'm not your dad, Dark," Vaati glared  
>"Oh. Right, you're the milk man!" Dark laughed<br>"Remind me why I let you drink?" Vaati asked  
>"Because you looove me," Dark snickered<br>"Oh right, it's because I FORGOT WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME!" Vaati snarled as dark laughed his head off,  
>"You're a funny purple bunny," Dark smiled as he started petting Vaati's hair.<br>"This purple bunny is going to eat your hand off if you don't stop PETTING IT!" Vaati screamed as Link walked out.  
>"Still drunk?" Midna asked<br>"Unfortunately," Vaati sighed, "anything we can use?"  
>"Shad told me that he heard the Reekfish have been disappearing…" Link told, "But that's about it."<br>"Well, maybe if Midna turns you back into a fuzz ball you can use the scent." Vaati suggested  
>"Hey! My wolf form is not that-" Before Link could finish Midna turned him back into a wolf, "NOT funny."<br>"FLUFFY!" Dark laughed hysterically as he hugged Link  
>"Dark, off, NOW!" Link ordered to no avail, "I will bite you."<br>"Hey Dark…" Vaati smirked as he held a lollipop in his left hand with the right behind his back.  
>"LOLLI!" Dark squealed as he ran for Vaati but was hit with a tiny ball of magic that made him fall asleep. Link then stared at the mage with concern.<br>"What? It only lasts for eight hours, or till he's sober, and it's late, so, there." Vaati gave his reasons and Link shrugged, rolled out his sleeping bag, and went to sleep as Vaati did the same after putting Dark in his own sleeping bag.

XXXXXXX

Vaati found himself floating in endless nothingness until looking behind him to find Helmaroc, sitting there as if there was ground.  
>"I thought you'd have left after a few minutes." Vaati smirked<br>"Who said I didn't just come back," Helmaroc countered, "I see you found Shadow Link,"  
>"More like he saw I had food and he found me." Vaati snickered<br>"Sounds just like him," Helmaroc stated  
>"So how have you been?" Vaati asked<br>"Outside of dead," Helmaroc joked, "Good, in fact, I found someone you might know."  
>"Hmm, I'm curious now," Vaati giggled, "Who'd you find?"<br>"Nice to see you again," Mitra smiled, "How's Shadow doing, still causing trouble?"  
>"I should've known I'd see you again," Vaati smiled, "And Shadow's doing okay, and as far as trouble goes he got drunk."<br>"Ah, didn't he remember what happened last time?" Mitra asked  
>"I didn't even remember," Vaati laughed, "So I doubt he did."<br>"And here I thought you remembered everything," Helmaroc smirked  
>"<em>Almost<em> everything," Vaati corrected when suddenly he was woken up by screaming,  
>"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dark screamed as Vaati and Link jolted up.<br>"HOLY HYRULE!" Link screamed, "Dark, why were you screaming?"  
>"Its n-nothing," Dark stuttered as he hid under the cover of his sleeping bag, "G-go back to bed."<br>"Okay, if you say so," Link said wearily as he fell asleep. Vaati however was not convinced.  
>"So what was it really?" Vaati questioned<br>"Remember that time I fell off of Helmaroc?" Dark asked  
>"And Ganon gave you shit about it?" Vaati replied, "Yeah,"<br>"It was that…" Dark sighed  
>"Trust me, I won't let anything like that happen again, okay?" Vaati promised<br>"… 'Kay," Dark responded wearily as he fell asleep. Vaati stared at the sky for a minute before going back to sleep.  
>If Ganon didn't have the Triforce at the time I would've killed him…/ Vaati growled before falling asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

"How far was he willing to go?"

Chapter 23

Secrets and Old Plans:

Link woke early that morning, before either of the others and rolled up his sleeping bag. Dark woke up not to long after him, still leaving the sorcerer asleep. He saw Link head over to the cliff side arena and decided to follow him. Apparently the strong, pungent, smell of death from when Vaati was there before didn't bother the hero, neither did it the shadow, but he was used to it.

"Hey," Dark said, "What'cha doing?"

"Just thinking," Link replied

"About what?" Dark asked with the same curiosity of a six year old boy.

"Well, what I've been reading," Link told as he held up the book Vaati did not want him to read, "His reasons for the last term is listed as unknown, as well as the conditions of whatever he was trapped in, I've heard him yell about some of it but I've never been able to piece enough together."

"Why are you looking into Vaati's past?" Dark questioned, "What do you need to know?"

"Considering all we've been through I feel like he knows more about me than I do him," Link stated, "I would like to learn something about him, like who his parents were or what happened to make him turn evil…"

"Link, I don't think looking into his past is such a good idea," Dark warned, "There are many things that I don't even know about him, that he never talked about, and he's my _mentor_."

"Do you at least know why he served under Ganondorf?" Link asked, "Was he enslaved or something?"

"Hah, hardly, he could leave whenever he pleased and threatened to kill Ganon on many occasions, but-" Dark stopped himself

"But what? There has to be something that kept him there right?" Link said, ever so hopeful.

"Yeah, but it's just a suspicion," Dark laughed nervously

"Well, tell me, I won't laugh," Link swore

"…Okay," Dark agreed, "What if Ganon bribed him with something?"

"That's probably what happened," Link nodded

"Yeah, but the only problem is, what did he bribe him with?" Dark pondered

"Well, what could he offer?" Link stared

"I don't know," Dark responded, "What could you offer a man when nothing holds value?"

"…"

"You know, looking into my past might not be the brightest of ideas," Vaati snickered from the entrance, causing the two to yelp.

"O-oh! V-Vaati, you b-been standing there t-the who-le time?" Dark shuddered

"I don't know, have I?" Vaati smirked

"I-I'm sor-" Link tried to say but was cut off

"Save it, its fine, just don't think you're going to find much on me," Vaati reassured, "Besides, I packed up the camp side, so we need to start heading out."

"Good idea!" Dark replied, eager to not anger Vaati and the two got up and followed him.

XXXXXXX

-

The time for Vaati to face the hero yet again was drawing near. He ordered one of his few remaining men to bring Shadow Link to him. Staring out the balcony looking over Hyrule, Vaati was immersed in thought, planning and strategizing what he was going to do shortly.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Shadow said as he walked towards the sorcerer.

"Yes, I have something for you." Vaati replied as he handed Shadow a bottle with a potion inside

"Is this some kind of knock out drink?" Shadow questioned staring uneasily at the glowing blue liquid

"I already told you I don't roll that way," Vaati snickered, "It's a health potion, if you drink it your body will heal faster, making you harder to defeat."

"…are you sure?" Shadow asked

"Positive," Vaati lied. Truthfully it was a potion that disconnects shadows from their light counterpart, so should the light die, the shadow would be fine forever. Of course, being the first potion, the effects would only be present for 72 hours, so if Link was killed within that time Shadow would forever be free.

"Is that it?" Shadow questioned

"Almost," Vaati told, "No matter what happens when you fight Link, afterwards I need you to go directly to the Dark World, no questions asked, there should be some one waiting for you."

"O-okay?" Shadow replied with confusion towards his mentor.

"Good, now you can go," Vaati smiled as Shadow walked away, hiding his plan.

/Not to long from now Link should be here with the princess./ Vaati thought, /And with the pull from each Triforce I just might be able to cheat the goddesses and gain a piece through the death of one. And when I'm done collecting all three…/

"Who needs _one_ wish when you can do the job yourself," Vaati smirked, "Oh how naïve they all are, not knowing the full potential of the Triforce."

And with those last words Vaati proceeded to laugh demonically at his plan, a plan that would determine the fate of everyone in Hyrule.

-

As the walk over to Kakariko continued, mostly because no one wanted to be teleported there due to this morning's "incident" so to speak, Vaati was more and more distant with the two, walking farther ahead than the two identical swordsmen behind him, although, it made the perfect opportunity to talk about Vaati's past…

/pssst, Link, can you hear me?/ Dark asked telepathically

/Dark? How'd you get inside my head? / Link glared

/I'm _your shadow_ this shit comes naturally,/ Dark smirked

/Okay then… so what do you want?/ Link asked

/So about Vaati's past-/ Dark was cut off

/I thought he said it was about idea!?/ Link interrupted

/No, he said we won't find much,/ Dark smiled /And I remember spying on one of his "meetings" with Ganon,/

/Should we be doing this?/

/YES!/

/Why?/

[ Me: WILL YOU TWO DO SOMETHING AND SAY YOUR NAMES AFTER THE BIT OF DIALOG?!

Link: Sorry

Dark: Please don't kill us!

Me: … We'll see *glare*

Back to the story]

/Because I just remembered something!/ Dark exclaimed

/And what would that be?/ Link gave an uneasy stare

/Better, I'll show you!/ Dark giggled, suddenly a screen of Dark's memory appeared in Link's mind and a flashback was visible

-

"L-Lord Vaati, th-the hero escaped!" Said one of Ganondorf's "loyal" minions

"WHAT?! HOW?" Vaati barked

"Well they did nearly kill him, I made sure of that," Ganon smirked, "Underlings like yourself shouldn't worry yourself with such trivial things."

Of course, Ganon's chose poor words for the situation, knowing that the hero would die and being called an underling weren't things that would calm the mage down.

"WHAT?!" Vaati screamed

"Quite down, my _pet_!" Ganon smirked thinking himself better until the crushing reality came to when Vaati suddenly summoned three cinder blocks and began using Ganon as a substitute sword.

"CALL ME PET!" Screeched Vaati as he broke the first block, "DON'T WORRY?!" and then the second, "AND LET THE HERO ESCAPE!" until finally throwing Ganon into the left wall.

"Well if you're so strong why don't you kill him?!" Ganon hissed in pain,

"KILL HIM?!" Vaati bellowed, "IF YOU SO MUCH AS MAKE HIM USE ONE OF HIS FARIES I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT YOU REGRET YOU'RE EXISTANCE!"

"Wh-what?" Ganon's eyes widen in shock, "Why?"

"IDIOT!" Vaati roared, "IF I KILL HIM, OR ZELDA, OR YOU I WOULDN'T COMPLETE MY TASK!"

"Explain?" Ganon ordered as Vaati walked over to him and grabbed his glowing hand and showed the great King of Darkness.

"THIS! ANY ONE OF YOU DIES I LOSE THIS! I NEED YOU ALL ALIVE AND FUNCTIONAL!" Vaati yelled so loud the Goddesses themselves shivered, "LOSE THAT AND YOU WILL PAY DEARLY!"

Shadow shook in fear; he's never seen this side of his friend, it scared him half to death thinking of what would happen if he angered Vaati. Ganondorf, though still maintain his self image of being better than everyone else, trembled a bit. Link did the same as he watched this, scared of the man he'd been traveling with for the past few weeks.

-

/Is that why he won't kill me now?!/ Link shrieked

/No, he's fine now, but there's something different,/ Dark said, /He seems very _restrained_ now, like something's holding back most of his power./

/If right now is him at has weakest I don't want to see him at his strongest,/ Link shuddered

"If you two are done daydreaming we're at Kakariko," Vaati smirked as the two suddenly snapped out of it.

"Y-yes… um, what are we doing here again?" Link asked

"Um, you're going to talk to the Zora prince we saved about getting reekfish." Vaati snickered, "Did you forget all that while acting like a zombie or did aliens fry your brain?"

"I-I'm good! Now off to find the prince!" Link scurried away, asking everyone about the Zora prince, /And now off to get the hell out of his sight and do as he says before he hangs me by my toes!/

_

Stuck researching in the library of the Wind Palace, Vaati struggled to control himself. Until, in fact, in one book he read something that made him insanely happy.

"Yes," He muttered, "AHAHA, THIS IS IT!"

In the book it read these following words:

"Ye who seeks a Triforce that is already take need get it from the one who holds it, but if ye find more than one, each with a fraction, ye may be able to obtain one fraction through the death of thou who hold it if all fractions are close and emitting light."

Now the mage had a better strategy in his game. With Ganon and Zelda already around, all he needed was to lure Link close enough to gain what he needed.


	24. Chapter 24

"Yes, I'm a fucking teapot- JUST GO!"

Chapter 24  
>Snowboarding and Stupidity:<p>

"Remind me why we're fishing?" Dark asked

"Because then we have a better chance of catching this thing," Vaati groaned, not liking having to explain himself five million times, "Now shut up and fish."

"But it's booooorrrriiiiing," Dark complained

"Then you find a way to catch the fi-" Vaati was cut off by Dark hoping in the water in popping back up with a reekfish in his mouth.

"Dark... get the fuck out of the water, now!" Vaati demanded

"I got the fish," He said as he dropped it, "What's the issue?"

"Dark... if we could've done that don't you think we would've?!"

"What do you mean?" Dark cocked a brow

"I mean in about ten minutes you're going to be higher than a kite."

"Wait... WHAT?!" Dark screamed, "And you didn't tell me before because?!"

"Dark..." Vaati clutched the bridge of his nose, "do you honestly think that I knew you were going to make a stupid choice like that?"

"Actually, yeah... we both did." Link giggled

"I feel dizzy..." Dark said half dazed

"Well how long has it been?" Link asked

"Nine minutes," Vaati sighed

"What? No it hasn't" Link retorted

"You look funny," Dark snorted

"Uh..." Link stared, jaw wide open, "You know Vaat's, I think it's been ten minutes..."

"Thank you captain obvious." Vaati growled, "I'll get the leash..."

"..." Link stared, "Leash?!"

XXXXXXX

The Trio managed to get Dark into the Leash and they were now following the scent up the mountain... freezing their asses off while doing so.

"I'M A STICK!" Dark said while be dragged by Vaati.

"For the love of Nayru will he shut up?" the now fuzzy Link moaned

"Probably not," Vaati sighed yanking the collar while doing so.

"Aw... where's my pineapple?" Dark laughed hysterically

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Link screamed as he pretended to pass out from Dark's insanity

"PUPPY!" Dark squealed as he ran over towards Link and proceeded to hug the annoyed ball of fur

"Pfft," Midna giggled, "I like high Dark, can we keep-"

"NO!" Link and Vaati screamed in unison

"Oh my Nayru... what is this magical device I see?" Dark asked looking at his hands

"Those are called HANDS!" Vaati sneered

"Ooooooo, where can I get some?" Dark giggled

"... Where we're headed you can have all the hands you want!" Vaati answered as sweetly as he could

"Kay... are you the little teapot that told me about the flying skull books?" Dark cocked his head

"Yes, I'm a fucking teapot- JUST GO!" Vaati demanded... only to get glomped by the shadow.

"I haven't seen you in eighty years Mr. Snail!" Dark said with glee

"Hey crazy people, I found a tunnel!" Link screamed from ahead of them as Vaati escaped Dark's death grip

"I have a better idea." Vaati said as he used his transformed into his demon self, "You, get Mr. Stick here to stay still and I fly all of us over the mountain."

"I wanna fly like a unicorn!" Dark snickered as Vaati summoned hands on his demon body and grabbed Dark and his light counterpart, "Can you be my magic sparkles?"

"Y'know," Vaati said, "When you're sober I'm telling you everything you said, and how wrong it all sounded."

"I don't like this but with him about to sing about rainbows, I don't care!" Link exclaimed as he transformed back into a human.

"Good, cause I honestly don't give you a choice." Vaati said as he took flight, blowing past the cold and harsh ice now gathering on his wings. Finding a summit area he dropped down, setting the wolf and shadow down before transforming back into a Hylain.

"Well-" Link was quickly interrupted

"I love lollipops, I love lollipops, I love lollipops, I love lollipops, I love lollipops," Dark sang continuously until, of course, three shadow beasts popped out from the sky and the fight began.

"Great, we have to fight these guys while maintaining a drugged out Shadow…" Vaati moaned, "What else can go wrong?"

"Don't say that a monster will a-" Link was cut off by the sight of the shadow trying to hug one of the monsters

"Kitty!" Dark sang with glee as he held his arms out in an attempted hug, "I always wanted one kitty but now I get three! Lets play cards hahahahahah," Dark flailed his arms around the creature only to miss and fall. All three beasts had looks of worry and concern on their faces… until Dark got up and started chasing them to which all screamed "Oh SHIT!" and hopped back in the portal… which soon turned blue.

"…appear…" Link finished

"What the FUCK WAS THAT?!" Vaati growled, "Fine, next time those asses pop out randomly we're feeding Dark crack."

"I like tacos…" Dark snorted

"HUMANS!" A giant male yeti like creature screamed with delighted as he hugged the group, "It's been so long since humans have been here the last one I saw was-"

"Holy shit Yeto?" Vaati said as the man put them down. 'Yeto' stood about 12 feet tall, a big boned Yeti, with white fur and grey scaly skin.

"Vaati!" Yeto squealed as he grabbed the purple man and hugged him to almost death, "Yeto hasn't seen you in many years!"

"How's your fiancé doing?" Vaati asked

"Well, we got married and all was fine… until…" Yeto stopped and looked down in dismay, "A few days back a mirror randomly appeared in Yeto's house and Yeta became very sick."

"Hmm… well you're in luck," Vaati smiled, "We can take that mirror away because we need it and it's making Yeta ill."

"You could do that for Yeto?" The yeti asked

"We WILL do that for Yeto," Vaati corrected, and then was pulled in to another hug. If there was one hug that trumped Telma's, it was Yeto's. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Yeto make very big feast when you're done!"

"Thanks Yeto, I'll meet up with you back at your house," Vaati said as the three watched Yeto snowboard back, and then looked at the other two, trying to figure out how this was going to work.

"Hmm… wait, hey Midna, do you have a moment." He asked as Dark was singing the ABCs

"You know he won't go into anyone's shadow right?" She looked at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Well fuck, plan B?" Vaati raised a brow

"What's plan B?" Link backed away a bit…

~5 Minutes Later~

"I CAN FLY!" Dark giggled as he and the person he was tied to, also know as Link, was trying to follow Vaati's lead.

"You can fly, but can you SHUT UP!" Link growled

"…Are you an eatable green bean?" Dark asked

"If you don't shut up I'm gonna snap." Link glared

"Like a snowflake?" Dark titled his high as hell head.

"NO LIKE A CRAZY PERSON!" Link screamed

"What's crazy mr. green?" Dark smiled

"…Kill me now," Link sighed

"Too bad we're here," Vaati giggled as he untied the two

"Oh my Din, FUCKING FREEDOM," Link screamed in joy, "I thought I would need to have my ears sown shut!"

"Now you know how I felt when you tied us together," Vaati and Midna snickered

"Was I really that bad?" Link asked

"No…" Midna said, "You were WORSE!"

Link glared as the only two people besides himself that weren't high, were laughing their asses off. All the while Dark stared at the once tower in awe… and then passing out.

"Well fuck." Vaati said as he threw Dark over his shoulder and carried him inside.

"W-why did Dark pass out?" Link hesitated to ask

"Because he's sobering up." Vaati answered plainly as they headed inside not prepared for what events would ensue.


	25. Chapter 25

"Dark Link?!"

Chapter 25

**Twilit Ice Mass, Blizzerta:**

"Why is everyone yelling?!" Dark screamed, massive hangover taking its effect.

"No one's screaming Dark," Vaati whispered

"Not so loud, yeesh," Dark countered, "I'm still waiting for that potion to take effect."

"Uh huh, and why, mind you, do you have to take that potion?" Link raised a brow

"I don't know, how did you learn to speak correctly?!" Dark barked

"I'll push you out the window!" Link bellowed

"Not if I push you first!"

"IF YOU TWO DON'T STOP FIGHTING, SO HELP ME DIN, I'LL THROW BOTH OF YOU OUT THAT WINDOW!" Vaati screamed motioning to the window to his left.

"Yes sir…"

"Sorry Vaati"

"So what are we looking for?"

"We're looking for a key." Vaati replied

"And how much farther?" Dark questioned

"Well… seeing as the door to the room Yeta marked it right in front of us, thirty minutes…" Vaati replied

"WHY THRITY MINUTES!" Link screeched

"BECAUSE YOU TWO WON'T STOP ASKING QUESTIONS!" Vaati hissed.

"Why are you so angry?" Link asked, only enraging the mage further

"Hah…. Hahahah… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH…" He laughed in complete anger, walked forward, and opened the door, "Get through that door, NOW!"

"Okay, okay, geez…" Link said as the walked through to find a room with one chest. As the group neared it they noticed quite a few paintings the walls as well as a window to their right.

/This seems a little too easy/ Link thought, but quickly regretted when they opened the chest and got…

"A pumpkin… A FUCKING PUMPKIN!" Vaati screamed in rage, "THIS IS MORE DISAPOINTING THAN THE BOUND CHEST!"

"STOP SCREAMING MY HEAD HURTS!" Dark hissed as he picked up the chest and threw it out the window.

"Well that seemed harsh…" Link stared at the broken window.

"KEEP YOU'RE VOICE DOWN!" Dark barked at the green clad hero.

"Screw this, we're reconvening outside!" Vaati hissed as he left.

XXXXXXX

"So 'whaddya say we do now?" Dark rolled his eyes

"Well, to avoid our little 'pumpkin panic' and more broken windows I had Yeta mark the map with every possible room the key could be in… there's only one problem…" Vaati looked back and forth between the Hero and the shadow uneasily,

"And that is?" Link edged on

"The map is marked with three places and unless you want to hear Shadow complain like a little bitch,"

"HEY!"

"Point proven, anyways, unless you want that we have to split up." Vaati explained, "So everyone pick a room and hope for fucks sake one of us finds the damn thing."

"But the room I want is over that wall…" Link pouted

"Then I have a solution!" Dark Link said with a creepy smile… as, just then, he kicked Link so hard that his lighter counter part flew over the "Difficult obstacle" as Vaati just glared…

"Y'know there's a perfectly good window that I was bout to say he could climb through…" Vaati motioned

"I know, but that was worth it…"

"You're horrible," Vaati spat, "So where did you pick?"

"You see that guy firing his lazar?"

"Yeah,"

"There"

"Kay see you on the flip side…" Vaati started to walk off…

"Where are you headed?" Dark asked

"The only place you two didn't pick…"

And with that they were off.

XXXXXXX

~Link's new "Friends?"~

As Link entered the room, the first thing he noticed was it was almost all ice, the second thing he noticed were some tear shaped Icicles with eyes… staring at him, probably thankful he wasn't Yeto. With curiosity shown, the little icicles, also known as mini Freezards, started towards him. Slightly concerned, he put his hand on the sword… but that only caused the Freezards to stop, fear shown in the eye of each of them. So instead, he moved his hand over slightly and grabbed hold of a satchel full of food, and pulled out some bread. One, very brave mini Freezard moved towards the hero, who was smiling kindly. Once near, the Freezard's one eye moved, revealing another eye horizontal to it, and a mouth, that opened slightly. Link, kind as he was, fed the little freezy and began petting it, though stopped as he looked at his slightly frostbitten hand. Noticing this caused the mini Freezard to look up apologetically.

"Aw, it's okay little guy, a little cold never killed anyone…" Link smiled as the freezy did the same, and then had an idea. Filled it's cheeks with just enough, it spit on Link's hand… and five seconds later he had no reminisce of frostbite, or even being cold.

"Wow… what else can you do?" Link asked in amazement as the mini Freezard pondered for a moment, examining the boy in green… and then hit the jackpot of ideas… tugging on Link's left sleeve for him to roll it up.

"What do you want with my left arm?" Link waited as he rolled it up to show the cut that had just started healing… the little freezy began to cry, and when it's tears reached the cut, the injury vanished immediately.

"So you can cure frostbite and heal injuries… do you think you can help me get over that wall there?" Link motioned to the wall on his right. The Freezard looked at it for a bit, smiled, and the whistled, speaking in what Link would call "incoherent gibberish" as one after another the Freezards began to come from their places in the room, and one after another, began jumping up on each other until they formed stairs, with the mini Freezard Link fed on top.

"You sure this won't hurt any of you?" Link questioned, only to receive a reassuring smile from all of them. Once he reached the wall he looked over to his freezy, yes, ,ihis/i freezy.

"I never asked this, but do you have a name?" Link spoke

"…Fffff…eeeemmm..aaa…" The little one spoke.

"Fema, well, how would you like to come with me?" Link offered and held out his arms, with a happy squeal, Fema jumped into Links arms and they proceeded through the door.

XXXXXXX

SLAM! That was the first thing Dark heard from the door behind him. He felt a bit of rage bubble inside of him due to the fact that he was locked in. Looking in front of him, the shadow saw his opponent, Dark Hammer. In a swift motion he drew his sword.

"Let the games begin"

XXXXXXX

"Could this place be anymore confusing?!" Vaati complained as he looked ahead to see the swirling ramp leading to the next floor. In between there were two Freezards on guard. Not that their attempts at incasing him in ice would work, he was just personally tired of all the nonsense. This was his tower at one point anyway, why should he return to it as if he was a guest. Looking over at the Freezard, who was now aiming for him, he just slightly snapped.

"Hey, asshats," Vaati got their attention, "We all know how this is going to end up, so for one fucking minute can you just let me do what I need to do without having to go through the annoying process of killing you?!"

Confused, they all looked around at one another, unable to come up with a reason to fight the mage. Is if in agreement, one by one, they all went about their business.

"Thank you," Vaati said as he continued on with his own business.

XXXXXX

Sitting at the glassless window that he had used to get to that section of what he now considers a useless death trap, Link held Fema and waited for the others.

"All that work and we only have a stupid compass to show for it," Link sighed, "wonder how everyone else is doi-"

As if on queue, Link heard a large bang, followed by an extremely angry shadow being shot through a wall in Link's direction.

"Inallila crudoto!" {YOU'RE DEAD!} Dark screamed as he lunged for Dark Hammer.

Thrust, dodge, jump, SMACK! With the back of his hand, Dark Hammer tossed the shadow into another wall. This battle would not end so quickly on either side.

XXXXXXX

"Okay, there should a hole somewhere around here..." Said the mage, "Just need to find where."

"How about a game of warm and cold?" Stated the strangely familiar voice.

"... Really, how old are we, five?" Vaati sighed, "Here's an idea, if I can guess your name, then you tell me where I need to go?"

"Like the tale of rumple-

[ Me: NO! NO! JUST NO! STOP BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL!

?: But whyyyy?

Me: BECAUSE I'LL KICK ALL OF YOUR ASS'S

Ganon: ... who let her out of the kitchen?

Me: WHO LET YOU INTO THE FUCKING KITCHEN?!

Ganon: Uhhh...

Me: THAT'S RIGHT, NOW MAKE ME A SANDWICH!]

"Fine," said the mysterious voice, "First try,"

"Hmm... Laadious," Vaati answered with contempt.

"Dammit, how'd you know?!" Laadious pouted as he burst through the floor. Laadious was a seemingly young sheikah man who stood about 5 ft. 11inches tall, the right half of his face was disfigured by what almost seemed like the plague, and was wrapped in a red cloth, as well as the bottom of half of his left arm, which was all that was left of that arm. He had bright neon eyes with the traditional sheikah markings under them, as well as sickeningly green hair.

"I knew because you're the only person who would still play hot and cold, now, my turn," Vaati smiled, "How'd you find me?"

"... okay, okay, okay, so I like, saw you walking about a hundred or so years after your 'death' so I've been following you randomly ever since," Laadious scratched his head, "And still... and I don't know why, for some reason, you still like women, why?!"

"Because I do, case and point," Vaati glared

"But c'mon, your soooo handsome," Laadious argued

"More reason for me to like women," Vaati laughed when suddenly the place started rumbling and shaking. The two darted outside to find Dark going ape shit crazy with a ball and chain, oblivious that he destroyed his opponent, and half of the room he was in.

"STUPID MOTHER FUCKER!" The shadow cursed.

"DARK I THINK YOU KILLED IT!" Link screamed holding the very scared Fema.

"DAMN RIGHT I- What?" A sudden halt came as the shadow dawned on this new information.

"Well... huh," Dark said as he looked around, "Um... I can fix that."

"I think its fine!" Vaati said as he used fucking ninja moves to get down why Laadious just fell on his face, "So, I caught a wild Laadious."

"I have Fema," Link showed

"I have a Ball and Chain I guess." Dark shrugged

"AND I HAVE A BEDROOM KEY!" Laadious showed, so proud of himself.

"Sweet, now we can get the fucking mirror piece!" Vaati cheered as Laadious just stood there heartbroken because he and Vaati didn't have the same thing in mind.

"Hey, so what about Darky here?" Laadious gave the mage that very weird, rape look.

"No. I know what you're thinking and no, he's the same as me." Vaati answered leaving the Hero and his shadow puzzled.

"And the hero-"

"I said no fucking way; remember hero and shadow are more alike than people think." Vaati clarified, "Now are you going to continue making things awkward or can we go get Yeta?!"

"Fine," Laadious said as he muttered, "Why do all the good men have to be straight," under his breath.

XXXXXXX

So after half an hour of very inappropriate innuendos made by none other than Laadious himself, the group was finally able to get to the mirror.

"Here... Mirror, you look at it uh..." She said

[Vaati: It would be fine she said

Me: You just had to...

Vaati: Yes, because we all know what's going to happen]

"So pretty..." She gazed

"Yeta... you okay?" Vaati asked

"Pretty..." She repeated like a broken record, "So pretty... pretty... pretty... mirror... lovely..." until...

"NOT TAKE MIRROR!"

Suddenly all the windows broke and she used ice as her element to transform into a giant rotating sharp mass of ice they could only call Blizzerta.

"WHAT THE- WHAT HAPPENED!" Link yelped

"She's been possessed," Vaati spoke in a frightened manner

"DO SOMETHING!" Dark begged

"I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT RISKING HER LIFE!" Vaati replied

"WELL THEN FUCK YOU I'M DOING SOMETHING!" Dark said as he ran up to the ice mass swinging his ball and chain

"NO DARK DON'T!" Vaati tried to stop him but it was too late. Dark had started hitting the mass repeatedly into a wall at a very face pace until it reviled a very angry Blizzerta. With a demented battle cry she flew high in the air and encased herself in an ice box and surrounded it with large pegs of ice to impale the ones below her. Grabbing Link and running around the room in a panic, Laadious did a decent job avoiding Blizzerta's attacks. Vaati used the excess wind to raise him to Yeta's level, but was stopped by the grip of ice lacing itself around his hair. With one swift motion he cut the caught portion off and proceeded breaking open the box she incased herself in.

"YETA, STOP, THIS IS NOT YOU!" Vaati ordered, but to no avail, the mirror had a strong hold on her. Using his power to resrain her he proceeded the extraction process. Unhappy, Blizzerta started using what she had left to send large sharp pegs of ice down upon them. Finishing the process just as he was sent flying into the ground, Vaati emerged with an unharmed, unconscious Yeta and a piece of the mirror in a contained field where it couldn't hurt anyone else. Now he had to find everyone else.

"Laadious! Link! Dark Link! You guys okay?" Vaati hollered.

"I'M ALIVE!" Laadious appear clinging to the very confused hero.

"Outside of my eardrums bursting, I'm moderately okay." Link said.

"That's good... wait... Dark? Dark Link?!" Vaati called.

"..."

"Dark?!" Vaati called again.

"..."

"SHADOW LINK KNIGHT, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" Vaati screamed, panicked, and started melting the ice around them until he saw-

"Dark... Dark you're leg," Vaati stared in shock, "You're leg, it's gone!"

He had found Dark Link, unconscious, missing something vital.

Dark Link in an anger induced haze saw Blizzerta in clear view and made an attempt to run the wall to get her, but was found and in the mess of ice was incased and thrown down, a broken shard cutting the lower part of his left leg clean off and knocking him unconscious in the process.

Vaati: To be cont-

Me: NO! We need to wish Mirria a happy birthday

Dark: BUT YOU CUT OFF MY LEG!

Me: You all still have to sing

Ganon: Do I have to sing?

Me: Do you love your legs

Ganon: ... HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Vaati: FROM ALL OF US TO YOU

Link: WE WISH IT WAS OUT BIRTHDAY

Dark: SO WE COULD PARTY TO

Laadious: HEY!


End file.
